Luigi Mangione’s New York state case in the killing of the healthcare executive Brian Thompson descended into secrecy on Wednesday when Judge Gregory Carro held sealed proceedings despite press objections.
Mangione’s state trial for allegedly shooting dead Thompson on a Manhattan Street in late 2024 is scheduled for 8 September. Mangione also faces a federal trial in relation to Thompson’s killing. The murder triggered an intense manhunt but also prompted an outpouring of public rage against the practices of the for-profit US healthcare industry.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty in both cases. Mangione’s team and prosecutors were scheduled to appear for a 3 June virtual conference. Carro scheduled Wednesday’s conference publicly at Mangione’s last court proceeding.
While parties do not appear for virtual conferences, these proceedings are routinely accessible to press and public in courtrooms via video display. There is a presumption of public and press access to court proceedings – be they in-person or virtual – in New York and US courts.
However, as media outlets earlier this week asked logistics questions about access to the virtual proceeding, New York state courts administrators announced that this proceeding would be sealed. This notification came at 1.18pm on Tuesday, less than 24 hours before the proceeding’s scheduled start time, giving the media and their legal representatives little time to fight the sealing.
Attorneys for various media organizations and at least one reporter filed letters requesting an opportunity to address the sealing issue before this hearing.
While the press and public’s right to attend court proceedings has limited exceptions, judges are barred from restricting access unless there is a specific legal reason for doing so. Multiple court rulings mandate that the press and public have a right to address the court with objections over sealing.
Despite the fact that several media organizations objected to this sealing and requested an opportunity to be heard – requests which are common, accepted practice in state and federal courts – Carro did not provide them with one.
Instead, the virtual conference started without Carro hearing objections. The proceeding started at about 9.30 and Carro took the bench at approximately 10.30.
“Just so the record is clear, we did have a virtual proceeding in the people versus Luigi Mangione case,” Carro said.
“Defendant was present. His attorneys were present. The people were present,” Carro said. “At the request of the defense, that proceeding is sealed at the moment and we have adjourned the case to June 16 and it’s a physical appearance and you’re all invited to be here.”
Carro did not explain why the proceeding was sealed. He also did not allow the press an opportunity to address the court after his comments. When several members of the press stood in the hopes of addressing the court – which happens frequently when time–sensitive access issues come up – Carro had already moved on to the next proceeding.
