A outstanding lawyer who as soon as served as a Manhattan chief assistant district lawyer will characterize Luigi Mangione as he faces homicide fees in New York for the taking pictures dying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo is at present working at Agnifilo Intrater, which makes a speciality of “advanced and delicate prison issues,” in keeping with its web site.
The legislation group confirmed on Saturday that Mangione retained Friedman Agnifilo, including that she “is not going to be making any statements presently.”
Mangione, 26, is scheduled to look in a preliminary listening to in Pennsylvania on Dec. 23 concerning fees associated to a 3D-printed gun and faux ID. He’s at present being held with out bail. Earlier this week, Mangione contested extradition to New York, the place he faces homicide fees. A web based fundraiser made to assist with Mangione’s authorized charges has to this point raised over $97,000.
Friedman Agnifilo labored as a prosecutor for a lot of her profession earlier than she went into non-public apply in 2021.
For seven years, she was the second-in-command on the Manhattan District Legal professional’s Workplace. She labored beneath Cyrus Vance Jr. — who was recognized for going after former movie producer Harvey Weinstein, in addition to President-elect Donald Trump.
On the Manhattan DA’s workplace, Friedman Agnifilo prosecuted violent crime instances, together with those who had “a psychological well being element,” in keeping with her legislation agency bio. She additionally served because the appearing district lawyer when Vance was out of the jurisdiction.
Two different attorneys from Agnifilo Intrater are representing Sean “Diddy” Combs within the criminal case against him, the place he was charged with intercourse trafficking and racketeering.
UnitedHealth Group CEO speaks out
The killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Dec. 4 despatched shockwaves throughout the nation. It additionally introduced points round well being care entry within the U.S. into sharp focus, with widespread anger directed at medical insurance corporations on social media.
On Friday, Andrew Witty, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group, the mum or dad firm of UnitedHealthcare, mentioned he agreed that the well being care system is flawed.
“We all know the well being system doesn’t work in addition to it ought to, and we perceive folks’s frustrations with it,” he wrote in an op-ed revealed in The New York Instances.
“We perceive and share the need to construct a well being care system that works higher for everybody,” he added.
Witty added that Thompson was amongst those that “tried their greatest for these they serve.” He wrote, “When a colleague proposed a brand new thought to Brian, he would at all times ask, ‘Would you need this to your family?’ If not, finish of dialogue.”
The UnitedHealth Group CEO ended the op-ed asserting that Thompson was devoted to constructing a extra inexpensive, clear and compassionate well being care — including that it was these traits that he and others in UnitedHealth Group will emulate.
The op-ed acquired over 2,400 feedback earlier than the feedback part was closed. Lots of the responses had been of readers unconvinced by Witty’s statements.
Among the many prime beneficial feedback got here from Ralph from Naples, Fla., who wrote, “I’ve learn this twice, and in essence it says nothing. What’s he proposing to vary or enhance?”
One other prime remark got here from Phil from London: “What occurred to Mr Thompson was tragic, however to explain him as somebody ‘who was working to make well being care higher for everybody’ is simply patently false. He was working to maximise income for the corporate’s shareholders, that’s the *sole* accountability of a CEO and it continues to be the principle cause why healthcare within the US is totally damaged.”