Luigi Mangione requests SURPRISE court hearing, sparking speculation he'll request plea deal for murder of CEO

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare's CEO on the streets of New York City, has requested an unexpected hearing. The sudden move has sparked speculation that the 28-year-old might get a plea deal over the December 2024 killing of Brian Thompson in Manhattan, NBC News reported. Mangione's lawyers and prosecutors filed a joint letter requesting the hearing be held at 11am on Friday in Manhattan Federal Court, and it has been approved, according to the outlet. The Maryland native has been charged with two counts of stalking resulting in death in federal court. Two other counts, including murder through use of a firearm, were dismissed. He has also been charged in state court with second-degree murder, multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges. If he accepts a plea deal in the federal case, his state criminal charges could possibly be thrown out because of New York's double jeopardy rules. Federal and state governments can prosecute for the same conduct because they are considered independent of each other, but under New York state law, double jeopardy can come into play when a prior prosecution for the same conduct ends in a conviction by guilty plea or a resolution at trial. Luigi Mangione's lawyers and prosecutors have requested a surprise hearing for the alleged killer on Friday morning The fatal shooting was captured on camera as Brian Thompson made his way to a hotel in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024Mangione's federal case is slated to go to trial early next year. The news comes just months after Mangione's legal team had unsuccessful talks with federal prosecutors about a potential plea deal for their client, per the report. He has also been charged in state court with second-degree murder over the killing of Thompson (pictured)At the time, Mangione's defense attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, said that the prosecution was trying to 'manipulate public opinion' against the alleged assassin. Around that time, Mangione's lawyers also unveiled a new strategy ahead of his murder trial that would see them deploy a psychiatric defense.They presented the defense at a pretrial hearing in June, according to presiding judge Gregory Carro. They said they plan to argue that he was 'extremely emotionally disturbed' at the time of the alleged killing.In response, Carro has ordered the defense to produce Mangione's psychiatric records immediately and to unseal records from a secret hearing two weeks prior. The latest decision to meet in court on Friday comes after Mangione appeared in court on Tuesday. During that hearing, the judge ruled that the jury in his trial will remain anonymous because of the high-profile nature of the case. He has gone on to attract a large fan base following Thompson's death. On Tuesday, a judge ruled that the jury in Mangione's trial will be anonymous because of the high-profile nature of his case Marc Agnifilo and Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Mangione's attorneys, leave his pretrial hearing on TuesdaySince his capture, Mangione has gone on to attract a large fan base - mainly of women - who show up to court in support of the alleged killer. Jurors' names and personal information will remain a secret from the public, the judge ruled, adding that both the defense and prosecution need to come up with questions for prospective jurors. That questionnaire will determine how much possible jurors know about the case, their experience with the law, and more factors, NBC News reported. The judge will have the final say on what they are asked. During the hearing, the judge also acknowledged the number of people expected to be allowed in the main courtroom, and what should be done about the large crowd. More than 80 news outlets are set to cover the trial, including independent journalists and major news publications. Similar to Sean 'Diddy' Combs' blockbuster trial, there will be an overflow room for Mangione's state trial, the judge ruled. Mangione did not speak during his recent hearing. Before news of Friday's hearing came to light, he was next due in court on September 8 for the start of jury selection. All of that could change depending on what happens on Friday.