The afternoon appearance in Manhattan's State Supreme Court marks Mangione's first hearing since his arraignment on the state charges in late December 2024, when he appeared in a maroon sweater and pleaded not guilty to murder charges that include an enhancement for terrorism. The judge is expected to ask the parties for an update on the exchange of evidence and, perhaps, set a trial date. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted of the state charges. He remains in custody at a federal detention center in Brooklyn. Mangione, 26, also faces federal charges, including one that could yield the death penalty, but he has not yet been indicted by a federal grand jury. His next date in federal court is in mid-March.

The man accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare in New York City and leading authorities on a five-day manhunt is scheduled to be in court Friday for the first time since his December arraignment on state murder and terror charges. Luigi Mangione, 26, is set for a hearing in state court in Manhattan. Prosecutors and Mangione’s defense lawyers are expected to provide updates on the status of the case and Judge Gregory Carro could set deadlines for pretrial paperwork and possibly even a trial date. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism, in the Dec. 4 killing of Brian Thompson outside a midtown Manhattan hotel. The executive was ambushed and shot on a sidewalk as he walked to an investor conference. Mangione also faces federal charges that could carry the possibility of the death penalty.

The legal defense fund for accused CEO assassin Luigi Mangione has raked in well over $500,000 in donations by Friday — as he is due in court for his first hearing since being slapped with murder and terror charges. Donations have been pouring in to help pay for the 26-year-old alleged killer’s legal fees ever since he was arrested in December over the cold-blooded killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. As of early Friday, the online fundraiser had reached its target, having topped $514,500 — with the goal now raised to a staggering $1 million. “I am overwhelmed by — and grateful for — everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support. Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions,” Mangione said in a statement on the website.