Lawyers for Luigi Mangione argue that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office illegally accessed his confidential health records without his knowledge.
In a recent legal document, the defense alleges that prosecutors breached HIPAA, the federal legislation aimed at protecting medical privacy. They claim the DA’s office coerced Mangione’s health insurance provider, Aetna, into providing the documents without obtaining a court order or consent from those involved.
The filing suggests that prosecutors fabricated a court date and used a “false and fraudulent” subpoena, threatening Aetna with contempt of court if it failed to produce the records.
Mangione’s lawyers are now asking the judge to sanction the DA’s office, including the possibility of throwing out the charges entirely. They are requesting a formal evidentiary hearing on the matter.
Luigi Mangione departs the courtroom following his arraignment in New York City Criminal Court on Monday, December 23, 2024. (Rashid Umar Abbasi for Fox News Digital)
The DA’s office argues the killing was ideologically motivated, calling it an act intended to “violently broadcast a social and political message to the public at large.” According to court filings, Mangione allegedly marked ammunition with the words “deny,” “delay,” and “depose,” and described himself as a “revolutionary anarchist.”
Prosecutors also cite journal entries and a note to the FBI in which Mangione allegedly expressed grievances against the U.S. healthcare system, writing that “these parasites simply had it coming.”
Luigi Mangione is facing murder charges for allegedly shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. (Curtis Means for DailyMail/Pool)
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Defense attorneys have separately moved to suppress Mangione’s statements to law enforcement and evidence from his backpack, arguing both were obtained unlawfully. They’ve also asked the court to dismiss terrorism-related charges, citing constitutional concerns over double jeopardy and concurrent state and federal prosecutions.
A judge will now decide whether to grant the defense’s request for a hearing on the alleged HIPAA violation. The broader motion to dismiss and suppress remains pending.
The state case is proceeding ahead of a separate federal prosecution, where the government is seeking the death penalty.
