Luigi Mangione Returns to Court as Judge Selects September Date for Jury Selection in Federal Trial By Ben Brachfeld and Liam Quinn

A judge has set a start date for the federal trial of Luigi Mangione, who is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Mangione, 27, was back in federal court on Friday, Jan. 23, for an evidence hearing sought by his attorneys.

Judge Margaret Garrett said in court that jury selection for Mangione’s case would begin on Sept. 8, according to CBS News, ABC News and the Associated Press.

The trial would then begin on Oct. 13 if it is a non-capital case, meaning the death penalty is not in play, Garrett said, per the reports.

If the trial does move forward as a capital case, however, then the start of the trial would reportedly be pushed back to Jan. 11, 2027.

Earlier this month, Judge Garnett ordered an officer with the Altoona, Pa., Police Department to testify on internal evidence-gathering procedures — especially relating to the police’s search of Mangione’s backpack which recovered a gun, silencer and notebook allegedly containing a “manifesto” describing a plan to “wack” a health insurance CEO.

Mangione faces dual state and federal murder charges in connection with the Dec. 4, 2024 shooting death of Thompson on a street in Midtown Manhattan. He was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona while eating a McMuffin and hash brown.

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Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges — the latter of which could carry the death penalty if convicted.

The accused killer stoically sat through three weeks of evidence hearings in New York state court late last year, which also concerned the constitutionality of his arrest, interrogation and statements he allegedly made soon after being detained, including to a jail guard who testified that they discussed the merits of privatized vs. state-run health care.

Judge Gregory Carro of New York State Supreme Court is expected to rule on whether the evidence is admissible in May. The state case could go to trial as soon as this year.