Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal murder and stalking charges in connection with the killing of a UnitedHealthcare CEO.
Mangione had visibly shorter hair while appearing in a Manhattan federal court on Friday morning with his legs shackled and hands cuffed.
He wore a mustard-colored prison top and pants and a thermal white shirt underneath.
Instead of wearing brown loafers without socks and a preppy sweatshirt as he did in his state court hearing in February, Mangione wore prison sneakers and dark socks.
‘Not guilty,’ Mangione, 26, said after being asked to enter his plea for a murder charge, two counts of stalking and a firearms offense.
A federal grand jury brought the four-count indictment against Mangione last week.
Mangione was accompanied at New York Federal Court with his lawyers Karen Agnifilo, Marc Agnifilo and Avi Moskowitz.
He will face trial as federal prosecutors say they will seek the death penalty for him allegedly shooting dead UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel in December.
About 20 of his fans rallied in support of him outside the courthouse.
Long Island City resident April Smith, 49, wore a sequined shirt, gold eyelashes and Uggs to show support for him.
‘Luigi is a fall guy,’ Smith told the New York Post.
‘The death penalty is inhumane. I am hoping he will find the right people to help him out of his situation.’
Inside the courthouse, some female spectators positioned themselves in the best way possible to get a glimpse of Mangione.
Judge Margaret Garnett told Mangione to stand up and asked if he had read his indictment.
‘I have,’ the Ivy League graduate replied.
Prosecutor Dominic Gentile acknowledged that Mangione’s state trial, which does not have the death penalty, will proceed before the federal trial.
Agnifilo said she would request that the federal case be heard first due to the death penalty being raised. She accused the ‘prior administration’ led by Joe Biden of a ‘handshake’ deal to have the state case proceed first.
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