A federal choose in Manhattan on Wednesday mentioned Trump administration officers “appear to be in direct violation” of her order warning in opposition to making prejudicial feedback about Luigi Mangione throughout his dying penalty case, demanding a proof and threatening sanctions.
Manhattan Federal Decide Margaret Garnett’s order got here after Mangione’s legal professionals flagged feedback just lately made about their consumer by President Trump and high administration officers, who they mentioned had continued to hinder Mangione’s proper to a good trial, casting him as a “left-wing” terrorist in violation of an order she issued in April — and regardless of the Maryland man dealing with no terrorism prices.
Trump mentioned Mangione had “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,” Mangione’s legal professionals detailed in late-night filings Tuesday.
“The statements referenced in the September 23 letter by two high-ranking staff members of the Department of Justice, including within the Office of the Attorney General, appear to be in direct violation” of a rule in opposition to such feedback and Garnett’s associated Apr. 25 order, Garnett wrote Wednesday.
Garnett ordered the federal government to supply a sworn declaration explaining how the violations occurred and what preventative steps could be taken, elevating the potential for sanctions and unfavorable rulings of their case in opposition to Mangione. She mentioned she additionally wished affirmation that the message had been communicated to Deputy AG Todd Blanche.
President Donald Trump discusses Luigi Mangione throughout an look on Fox Information. (Courtroom Doc)
Bondi, on April 1, introduced by way of a Justice Division press launch that the feds would pursue the dying penalty in opposition to Mangione, weeks earlier than formally notifying the court docket of their intent to hunt the steepest type of punishment.
“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Bondi mentioned. “After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.”
When Mangione’s legal professionals complained in regards to the assertion to the press that could possibly be learn by the jury pool, Garnett directed Manhattan U.S. Lawyer Jay Clayton to tell Bondi a couple of rule outlining the significance of safeguarding the integrity of proceedings from doubtlessly damaging public feedback.
Trump’s Justice Division is “knowingly and intentionally” violating that rule and order, Mangione’s attorneys mentioned of their Tuesday submitting.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo and members of Mangione’s protection staff instructed Garnett that the latest high-profile assassination of Kirk, which Trump and his Republican allies have sought guilty on the left, had seen them ratchet up dangerous rhetoric.
“The Government has indelibly prejudiced Mr. Mangione by baselessly linking him to unrelated violent events, and left-wing extremist groups, despite there being no connection or affiliation. A recent, tragic, high-profile murder has only increased this prejudicial rhetoric,” they wrote.
They mentioned the portrayals of Mangione by the seniormost members of presidency had been false and a part of a political narrative “that has no place in any criminal case, especially one where the death penalty is at stake.”
“Mr. Mangione in fact does not support these violent actions, does not condone past or future political violence, nor is he in any way aligned with the group mentioned in the White House press release,” they wrote.
Turning Level USA Founder Charlie Kirk (principal) and suspected assailant Tyler Robinson (inset). (Getty Photographs)
Federal prosecutors have charged Mangione with the capital offense of homicide by way of using a firearm, two stalking counts, and firearm possession. He has pleaded not responsible to the fees handed up on December 19 following his dramatic extradition to New York from Pennsylvania. In prolonged filings on Friday, Mangione’s legal professionals argued in opposition to the federal government’s means to hunt the dying penalty.
Parallel to his federal prosecution, Mangione can be dealing with state prices being tried by Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg’s workplace. Mangione is accused in that case of second-degree homicide, a number of firearm offenses, and felony possession of a solid instrument for allegedly carrying a faux ID, to which he’s pleaded not responsible.
Justice Gregory Carro, presiding over the state court docket case, final week threw out the highest two prices within the indictment Bragg’s workplace filed in December, which accused Mangione of first-degree homicide in furtherance of terrorism and second-degree homicide as an act of terrorism. The ruling meant Mangione now not faces the prospect of life with out parole in Bragg’s case.
Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two teen boys from Minnesota, was shot useless on the street as he arrived early to an annual investor convention outdoors the Hilton Resort in Midtown on Dec. 4. Shell casings recovered on the scene bore the phrases: deny, delay, and defend, in seeming reference to medical health insurance firms routinely denying claims, court docket papers element.
The DOJ didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Initially Printed: September 24, 2025 at 12:35 PM EDT
