The bizarre court conundrum that could stall Luigi Mangione's murder trial
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The outpouring of support for Luigi Mangione could prove a major stumbling block in his trial by making jury selection extremely difficult, an attorney has warned. Former prosecutor Neama Rahmani has said the alleged assassin's fanbase could delay his criminal case as officials may struggle to select 12 unbiased jurors.
![[Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson (pictured) in New York]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/21/92980753-14207303-Mangione_is_accused_of_killing_UnitedHealthcare_CEO_Brian_Thomps-a-15_1734556664397.jpg)
'I've never seen an alleged murderer receive so much sympathy. To many people, Mangione is a hero of sorts,' California-based Rahmani told Newsweek. Rahmani said prosecutors have a huge task ahead of them rooting out Mangione sympathizers who may want to watch over his trial.
![[Jury selection could be extremely difficult for Luigi Mangione's trial, causing a stumbling block and potential trial delays. Mangione (pictured) has been charged with murder as an act of terrorism over the December 4 assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/21/93283191-14207303-image-a-14_1734556578661.jpg)
'District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office is going to have to weed out "stealth jurors" during voir dire,' he told Newsweek. 'They may want to acquit to send a message to health insurance companies.'. Voir dire is the preliminary examination of witnesses and jurors in a trial by judges and counsel from both the defense and prosecution sides of the bench.
![[Mangione allegedly had a silencer along with a ghost gun believed to be the rare World War Two era-inspired 9mm pistol used in Thompson's murder, which the New York Post reported was a Swiss-made Brugger & Thomet VP9]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/21/92980765-14207303-Mangione_has_been_accused_of_shooting_Brian_Thompson_at_point_bl-a-16_1734556684655.jpg)
Mangione, 26, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, in Midtown Manhattan on December 4. He was charged on Tuesday with murder as an act of terrorism over the shock incident. The alleged gunman has inspired a cult-like following, particularly among young people online who have hailed him as a martyr 'fighting back' against predatory health insurance giants.
![[A person photographs street art depicting sick children, featuring the words 'deny,' 'depose,' and 'defend,' which were written on the ammunition used in the killing of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson, at Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington, U.S., December 11, 2024]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/21/93113429-14207303-A_person_photographs_street_art_depicting_sick_children_featurin-a-18_1734556914456.jpg)
Former prosecutor Neama Rahmani has said the outpouring of public sympathy for the alleged assassin means it will likely be a challenge to find unbiased jurors. (Pictured: A poster showing Mangione plastered outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel where the killing happened).
![[A message appeared on a sign apparently belonging to a private construction company]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/18/21/93112783-14207303-A_message_appeared_on_a_sign_apparently_belonging_to_a_private_c-a-19_1734556917427.jpg)
