What started as a high-profile terrorism and murder case in Manhattan has now taken a sharp turn—with the defense accusing prosecutors of serious misconduct.
Luigi Mangione, the man charged with killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in what officials have labeled an act of terrorism, is now at the center of a new legal firestorm.
Accused Shooter’s Lawyers Claim Prosecutors Went Too Far
According to Mangione’s defense team, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office allegedly crossed a legal and ethical line by secretly accessing his private medical records.
The attorneys say prosecutors faked a court subpoena to get more than 100 pages of Mangione’s health information from insurance provider Aetna—without any judge’s approval.
Defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo called it a violation of federal privacy laws and demanded serious consequences.
“This wasn’t just a minor misstep,” she argued in court documents filed Thursday. “This was deliberate and deceptive.”
The Alleged Fraudulent Subpoena and What It Demanded
The controversy centers around a subpoena sent on May 14.
Prosecutors allegedly told Aetna they needed Mangione’s membership records for an upcoming court appearance on May 23.
The subpoena warned Aetna that failure to comply could result in contempt of court, a $1,000 fine, or even jail time for its officers.
But according to the defense, there was no actual court order backing up this request.
Worse, the subpoena allegedly instructed Aetna to send the records directly to the DA’s office—skipping the judge and the defense team entirely.
Defense Slams the DA’s Office for Ignoring HIPAA Protections
Agnifilo was blunt in her criticism: “It’s impossible to even glance at these documents and not know they’re protected by HIPAA.”
She said each page was marked with bold labels identifying them as private health information.
Despite that, the District Attorney’s Office allegedly placed the documents in the case’s discovery files and reviewed them.
Even if they didn’t go through every single page, Agnifilo insists that prosecutors knew exactly what they had and chose not to inform the court or the defense for over a week.
Calls for Sanctions—and Even Case Dismissal
Mangione’s legal team wants more than just an apology.
They’re calling on the judge to impose serious sanctions, including potentially dismissing all charges or banning prosecutors from using the medical documents in court.
They also asked for an evidentiary hearing to determine exactly who reviewed the files, when, and for how long.
One of the prosecutors, Assistant DA Zachary Kaplan, reportedly spoke to Aetna on June 16 and was told the insurer had “mistakenly provided” the defendant’s full medical file.
The DA’s office didn’t alert the defense or the court until eight days later.
Prosecutors Push Back and Say They Deleted the Files
In a statement to DailyMail.com, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office defended their actions, saying Aetna had simply sent more than what was requested.
They claimed they deleted the excess files as soon as they realized the mistake and notified the court and defense.
“As defense counsel knows, the People requested very limited information from Aetna,” the office said, adding that the insurer “sent us additional materials in error.”
The Original Case: A Shocking Killing Framed as Terrorism
Mangione, 27, is accused of gunning down Brian Thompson, CEO of United Healthcare, in a calculated ambush last December.
Prosecutors say Mangione left behind a disturbing notebook in which he wrote about “rebelling against the deadly, greed-fueled health insurance cartel,” and even praised the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski.
He also allegedly confessed to the killing, writing that it “had to be done.”
DA Alvin Bragg has stood firmly behind the terrorism charges, describing the murder as a violent act meant to spread fear.
Defense Fights Back on Multiple Fronts
Mangione has pleaded not guilty. His attorneys have challenged the entire case, arguing it constitutes double jeopardy since he’s also facing a federal prosecution that could result in the death penalty.
If the court won’t drop the charges outright, the defense is pushing to have the terrorism label removed and to suppress evidence collected at the time of his arrest—namely a 9mm handgun, ammunition labeled “delay, deny, and depose,” and a so-called manifesto.
Trial Date Still Far Off, But Legal Drama Intensifies
Both sides are now expected to meet in court again on September 16 to iron out lingering legal disputes.
Meanwhile, Mangione remains behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.
Supporters Paint Mangione as a ‘Hero’ and ‘Martyr’
While prosecutors describe Mangione as a terrorist and cold-blooded killer, some supporters have rallied behind him.
They’ve created a GiveSendGo fundraiser to help with his legal fees and even shared artwork portraying him as a kind of modern-day saint who took a stand against America’s broken healthcare system.
What Comes Next?
As this case moves forward, the latest revelations about alleged misconduct could shift the focus from the crime itself to how the prosecution handled the investigation.
With potential HIPAA violations, court deception, and explosive claims of overreach, Mangione’s trial might now hinge as much on the DA’s actions as it does on his own.
