Mangione abandons mental-state defense in NY murder case

Luigi Mangione’s lawyers have withdrawn their plan to use a psychiatric/mental-state defense in the state murder trial for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a move that follows a judge’s remarks about an extreme-emotional-disturbance argument. Mangione faces eight felony charges, including second-degree murder, along with federal stalking charges, and his trial is set for September. Prosecutors have said they will present evidence from a diary found at arrest; both sides declined to comment.