A federal judge overseeing the death penalty case of Luigi Mangione has directed Justice Department officials to refrain from making public statements that could prejudice the trial, warning that future violations may result in sanctions.
The ruling highlights concerns about political influence and fair trial standards in one of the most closely watched federal cases of the year.
Judge issues directive on trial fairness
US District Judge Margaret Garnett issued the order Wednesday after Mangione’s defense team argued that public remarks by senior government officials, including President Donald Trump, violated court rules prohibiting out-of-court statements that could interfere with judicial proceedings.
Mangione, 27, faces federal charges in the December shooting of UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel.
He has pleaded not guilty and also faces separate state murder charges in New York.
Prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty, a move his lawyers are contesting.
“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 defense team said in a filing.
Judge Garnett’s directive requires prosecutors to advise Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and other top Justice Department officials that future violations may trigger sanctions, ranging from financial penalties and contempt of court findings to relief directly tied to the prosecution.
Administration comments under scrutiny
Defense attorneys highlighted several high-profile remarks made by administration officials in recent weeks.
On Sept. 18, Trump appeared on Fox News and described the shooting, saying 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.”
That comment was subsequently posted on X by a White House-affiliated account and re-posted by Chad Gilmartin, Deputy Director of the Justice Department’s office of public affairs, with the caption “@POTUS is absolutely right,” according to court filings.
The statement was later re-shared by Brian Nieves, Associate Deputy Attorney General.
Additional remarks included White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt calling Mangione a “left-wing assassin” during a Sept. 22 briefing, and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller describing him as an “anti-fascist” in a television interview the following day.
Judge Garnett ordered the government to provide a sworn declaration explaining how such comments were made despite an April 25 court order aimed at preventing prejudicial statements.
The declaration must also outline steps being taken to ensure no further violations occur.
Earlier in September, a New York state judge dismissed first-degree murder charges carrying a terrorism enhancement against Luigi Mangione.
DOJ and prosecutors decline comment
Nick Biase, a spokesman for Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton, whose office is prosecuting the case, declined to comment on the directive.
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The latest developments underscore the legal and political sensitivities surrounding the Mangione case, particularly as it involves a major healthcare executive’s killing and allegations of political extremism.
While the Justice Department faces heightened scrutiny over its communications, Mangione’s defense continues to press its case against the death penalty, citing concerns that public commentary risks undermining judicial impartiality.
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