Judge Gregory Carro said Luigi Mangione’s Sept. 8 murder trial will use an anonymous jury and an overflow courtroom after a final pre-trial hearing in Manhattan.
Carro made the move after a dispute over media access drew criticism from journalists and gave the defense room to suggest secrecy around seating and public entry.
The judge flatly rejected that claim, saying the court never sought to limit press or public access and that prosecutors had no role in deciding reporter seating.
Mangione, 28, is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown hotel on Dec. 4, 2024; he denies the charges and also faces a separate federal stalking case.
The case has drawn more than 80 media organizations and visible courtroom supporters, underscoring concerns that the closely watched trial could become a spectacle.