DOJ: Staffers' Posts Didn't Hurt Mangione's Case

Federal prosecutors are pushing back against claims that two Justice Department staffers compromised Luigi Mangione's right to a fair trial by reposting President Trump's pointed remarks about Mangione along with their own opinions. In a letter to the Southern District of New York, prosecutors argued the employees were not part of the team handling Mangione's case, had no role in the investigation or prosecution, and were unaware of previous judicial warnings about public commentary, reports NBC News. "They operate entirely outside the scope of the prosecution team," the filing states.

The controversy began after Trump, in a Fox News interview last month, said Mangione shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson "right in the middle of the back," calling the attack a "sickness" that needed investigation. A White House-affiliated X account shared a video of the comments, which was then reposted by Chad Gilmartin, deputy director of the DOJ's public affairs office, who added that Trump was "absolutely right," per the New York Times. Prosecutors said the posts were quickly removed once discovered. Mangione's attorney, Marc Agnifilo, said the defense plans to respond to the government's letter soon. Mangione, meanwhile, is awaiting trial on murder charges.