Lawyers for alleged assassin Luigi Mangione have claimed the “model prisoner” has earned the right not to wear handcuffs or a bulletproof vest in court. Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Mangione’s lawyer, made a legal filing to Judge Gregory Carro on Tuesday to request that her client be allowed to wear “court-appropriate clothing” when he returns to the Manhattan courthouse on June 26. The 27-year-old has been charged with the December 4, 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione’s legal team claims wearing handcuffs and a bulletproof vest has been “deeply prejudicial” and “damaging” to their client’s right to a fair trial and that the items “perpetuate a false narrative that Mr. Mangione is an unusual danger requiring extraordinary security measures.” Friedman Agnifilo said both state and federal authorities had “prejudiced” Mangione in the media. “This commenced with the [New York City] mayor-led staged perp walk, and it continues until today,” she said. Being shackled restricted him from being able to “meaningfully participate in his defense” as he cannot take notes, read legal papers, or write notes to his counsel. Friedman Agnifilo also claimed Mangione has been a “model prisoner, a model defendant in court, and has treated everyone... with cooperation and respect.” The Daily Beast reached out to Mangione’s lawyers for comment.
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