Mangione Attorneys Allege Trump Governance Prejudiced Case with “False” Kirk Comparisons
NEW YORK – Lawyers for Luigi Mangione, accused in the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, have filed a motion arguing that comments made by former President Donald Trump and several White House officials improperly prejudiced the case and warrant dismissal of the federal death penalty indictment. The 114-page motion, filed days after a New York state judge dismissed state terrorism charges against Mangione, alleges a deliberate effort to falsely portray the defendant as a “left-wing violent extremist.”
The core of the argument centers on statements made in the wake of Thompson’s killing. According to the motion, Trump, in a September 18th interview with fox News – just over a week after the shooting – stated Mangione “shot someone in the back as clear as you’re looking at me… He shot him right in the middle of the back – instantly dead… This is a sickness.”
Mangione’s legal team further contends that the White House amplified these claims. They point to a video of Trump’s comments posted by the White House-affiliated X account, Rapid Response 47, which garnered millions of views. Chad Gilmartin, Deputy Director of the Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs, allegedly reposted the video, adding that Trump “is absolutely right.”
The motion also cites comments from White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on September 22nd,who referred to Mangione as a “left wing assassin [who] shot United Healthcare CEO Brian thompson right in the back in New York City.” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, in a September 23rd Fox News interview, reportedly described Mangione as a “brutally gunned down… self-described so-called anti-fascist… celebrated by other self-described anti-fascists, so of course, really communist revolutionaries.”
“The attempts to connect Mr. mangione with these incidents and paint him as a ’left wing’ violent extremist are false, prejudicial, and part of a greater political narrative that has no place in any criminal case, especially one where the death penalty is at stake,” the attorneys wrote.
The legal team also argues the administration violated an April court order by publicly commenting on the case. Attorney General Pam Bondi directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in Mangione’s federal case in April.
representatives for the White House and Justice Department have not yet responded to requests for comment.
mangione, 26, has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges. State prosecutors have presented diary entries allegedly belonging to Mangione that reference killing a health insurance CEO as a statement against the healthcare industry.
