Luigi Mangione's lawyers push to keep federal trial date after state trial set just months before

Luigi Mangione's lawyers formally notified the judge in his federal trial, set to begin on Sept. 8, that his state trial has been moved up to June 8. 

Mangione's attorneys say they want the federal trial date to stay on track despite the state trial being moved up.  

Mangione is being tried in both courts for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

In a letter filed with the federal court on Monday, the defense said a judge set the state trial to begin weeks earlier than prosecutors originally requested. 

Prosecutors previously asked the state trial to start on July 1, but the state judge moved it up to June 8. Meanwhile, jury selection for the federal trial is set for Sept 8, with opening statements starting on Oct. 13. 

Mangione's lawyers previously said July 1 was unreasonable because they needed the rest of the year to prepare for the federal trial. The defense doesn't want the earlier trial date to delay or disrupt the federal proceedings, according to the letter. 

Defense attorneys emphasized the federal court has consistently made it clear that its trial would start in 2026. The schedule was discussed publicly in court and widely reported, but state prosecutors didn't flag any concerns, the letter said. 

As a result, the defense said it has been preparing for a federal trial. Both Mangione's lawyers and prosecutors agree the federal trial should proceed as planned, the filing said. 

The federal judge has not yet indicated whether the state court's new schedule will have any impact on the federal case.  

Mangione has outburst during last court appearance

Mangione shouted, calling the two trials "double jeopardy" at his hearing on Feb. 6.

"It's the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any common sense definition," he said.

Legal expert Rich Schoenstein, who isn't affiliated with the case, said it's not double jeopardy just because he's being prosecuted in two different courts.

"If he goes to trial in one of these courts and then a jury is sworn in in another court, that is a potential double jeopardy situation, but he's not subject to double jeopardy yet," Schoenstein said.  

Federal trial date could be delayed due to charges being appealed

Federal Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed the federal firearms charges against Mangione that carried the possibility of the death penalty.

If prosecutors appeal that decision, the federal trial could be delayed. If that happens, the state trial would proceed on Sept. 8 instead of June 8.