Mangione to Judge: Take Off the Handcuffs

Luigi Mangione's lawyers are "working to free their client one body part at a time," per TMZ—starting with his hands. Attorneys for the murder suspect on Tuesday asked a New York judge to allow him to appear in court without handcuffs or a bulletproof vest, saying they undermine his presumption of innocence, per Fox News. Mangione, the suspect in the December murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, doesn't need shackles as he's "model prisoner, a model defendant in court, and has treated everyone in the court and prison system with cooperation and respect," the motion reads, per Newsweek. And he doesn't need the vest as there have been "no threats" to his safety. Indeed, "the only one wishing to execute him is the federal government."

The lawyers note Mangione was only made to wear leg shackles in federal court, where he faces a possible death sentence, "without the need for counsel to request these conditions." They argue handcuffs and a bulletproof vest reinforce the perception of Mangione as dangerous and impede his right to a fair trial. They specifically pointed to a pair of photos of their client in court in February, viewed more than 36 million times on X. The shackles also impair Mangione's ability "to meaningfully participate in his defense," as he is unable to access legal papers or write notes, per the motion. The 27-year-old is next due in court on June 26. (More Luigi Mangione stories.)