Luigi Mangione Wears Bulletproof Vest During Court Appearance, as Lawyer Claims He's Being 'Treated Differently'

Luigi Mangione’s lawyer claims the 26-year-old accused of killing healthcare executive Brian Thompson is being “treated differently” as he is being held in federal custody.

The accused killer wore a bulletproof vest at his Friday, Feb. 21, court hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court, and he remained cuffed throughout his hearing due to “security reasons,” Judge Gregory Carro said from the bench, as dozens of supporters flooded the courthouse and created a circus-like atmosphere inside and out.

Mangione is facing several charges, including murder and terrorism, across three different jurisdictions in connection with Thompson’s fatal shooting outside a Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4.

In court on Friday, Agnifilo expressed her frustration about Mangione’s treatment in the public eye.

“He’s in shackles. He was wearing a vest today with these leg shackled and his arms shackled,” Agnifilo said at the press briefing outside the court, noting also an HBO documentary where police officials and New York Mayor Eric Adams appeared.

She added his treatment affects her team’s ability to meet with him before or after court as he is “constantly surrounded by law enforcement.”

“When I go visit a Mangione at [the Metropolitan Detention Center] in Brooklyn, I sit with him, he is unshackled, he walks around freely in the visiting area, we sit in a room together without law enforcement hovering over us,” Agnifilo said.

“But for whatever reason, here, despite all the law enforcement, they need him to be wearing his vest, they needed to be shackled, and they stand right over us and we get no time with them.”

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Agnifilo spoke as Mangione’s supporters roared “free Luigi” among other chants – some of whom traveled from around the country to show their solidarity.

His supporters from across the country have raised more than $500,000 for his legal defense.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state charges in New York but has not entered a plea on the federal charges.