Luigi Mangione is expected to appear at 11am ET after a hastily scheduled conference that has spurred intense speculation that he might plead guilty related to the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson.
Throngs of media and some supporters have gathered in front of the 40 Foley courthouse. The Guardian spotted at least three people lining up by 5pm during a quick walk by court on Thursday afternoon.
They appeared to be paid line sitters. For several years at high-profile trials in New York, news organizations and some curious members of the public have hired paid line sitters to keep their place in a queue as to avoid camping out overnight.
Mangione now faces federal stalking charges; he also faces New York state murder and weapons charges and that trial is scheduled for 8 September.
If Mangione pleads guilty, that could send his New York case into uncertainty, because the state has double jeopardy statutes that could bar it.
If he does plead guilty, it’s fair to assume there will be a flurry of court paperwork filed in his state case sooner than later, with his attorneys likely poised to push for its dismissal.
