Luigi Mangione has asked the judge to allow him to appear in court without handcuffs or a bulletproof vest because he has been a ‘model prisoner.’
The 27-year-old is accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of a New York City hotel in December.
He has attracted a significant fan following and recently became a millionaire after his crowdfunding campaign exceeded $1 million in May.
Mangione’s lawyers filed a motion on Tuesday requesting he be allowed to sit at the defense table unshackled and in ‘court appropriate clothing without a bulletproof vest’ at his June 26 hearing, Fox News reported.
His defense team claimed forcing the Maryland native to wear the garb contributes to a prejudice campaign against him.
‘The authorities – both state and federal – have already prejudiced Mr. Mangione in the media more than virtually any defendant in recent memory,’ filing said.
‘These same authorities should not use Your Honor’s courtroom and Mr. Mangione’s court appearances to perpetuate a false narrative that Mr. Mangione is an unusual danger requiring extraordinary security measures.’
Mangione’s legal team argued forcing him to wearing handcuffs and a bulletproof vest impedes his right to effectively defend himself.
The 27-year-old has asked to be allowed to sit at the defense table unshackled and in ‘court appropriate clothing without a bulletproof vest’ at his June 26 hearing
His defense team claimed forcing the Maryland native to wear the garb contributes to a prejudice campaign against him
‘There is no disputing that he has been a model prisoner, a model defendant in court, and has treated everyone in the court and prison system with cooperation and respect,’ the lawyers said.
‘These deeply prejudicial security measures, which are invariably photographed and circulated to the public, including potential jurors, are unnecessary and should not continue as they are damaging to Mr. Mangione’s right to a fair trial.’
Mangione is facing charges in New York and at the federal level where prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty.
The murder suspect pleaded not guilty to all federal stalking and murder charges brought against him on April 25 in Manhattan federal court.
Mangione walked into court in leg shackles with his hands cuffed behind his back. He was not wearing the loafers he sported at his previous state court hearing – which he wore without socks and a preppy sweater.
Instead, he wore socks, prison issue sneakers and a tan colored prison-issued top and pants.
Before he entered a plea for the federal charges, Mangione pleaded not guilty the New York state murder and terror charges.
In May, Mangione’s lawyers urged a judge to throw out his state murder charges, arguing that the New York case and a parallel federal death penalty prosecution amount to double jeopardy.
If that doesn’t happen, they want terrorism charges dismissed and prosecutors barred from using evidence collected during Mangione’s arrest last December, including a 9 mm handgun, ammunition and a notebook in which authorities say he described his intent to ‘wack’ an insurance executive.
Mangione´s lawyers also want to exclude statements he made to police officers who took him into custody at a McDonald´s restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
