Luigi Mangione appeared in a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday for what could be his final hearing before his high-profile murder trial begins in September.
Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan in 2024.
Much of Tuesday's hearing focused on who will be allowed inside the courtroom during the trial.
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The judge said space will be particularly limited during jury selection because prospective jurors will need to be in the courtroom. A small pool of journalists will be allowed inside to represent the broader news media during that process.
Courtroom access during the trial itself also prompted debate. About 68 members of the media, including Scripps News, have been credentialed to attend the trial each day.
Mangione's attorneys raised concerns about how those journalists were selected, suggesting the Manhattan district attorney's office had been involved in the process. The judge strongly rejected that assertion, saying the Office of Court Administration alone determined which reporters received courtroom access.
The district attorney's office had separately raised concerns about plans for an overflow courtroom with a live video feed, citing privacy concerns.
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The judge pushed back on both sides over how the issue had been handled and confirmed Tuesday that an overflow courtroom will be available during the trial. It will provide additional space for members of the public and news media who cannot be accommodated in the main courtroom.
Attorneys still need to finalize questions that will be used during jury selection. The judge encouraged both sides to work through those issues ahead of the trial.
Mangione's state murder trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 8.
After the state proceedings conclude, Mangione is also expected to face a federal trial in the winter of 2027.
