Sealed Hearing in New York State Case Over Healthcare Executive Shooting
The New York state case concerning the shooting of healthcare executive Thompson took a turn towards secrecy on Wednesday when Judge Gregory Carro conducted sealed proceedings despite objections from the press.
Luigi Mangione’s state trial, in which he is accused of fatally shooting Thompson on a Manhattan street in late 2024, is scheduled to begin on 8 September. In addition to the state charges, Mangione faces a federal trial related to Thompson’s killing. The murder sparked a significant manhunt and provoked widespread public outrage against the practices of the for-profit healthcare industry in the United States.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty in both the state and federal cases. A virtual conference involving Mangione’s defense team and prosecutors was scheduled for 3 June. Judge Carro had publicly set this conference date during Mangione’s last court appearance.
Although parties do not physically appear for virtual conferences, these proceedings are typically accessible to the press and public through video displays in courtrooms. Both state and federal courts in the US generally uphold a presumption of public and press access to court proceedings, whether conducted in person or virtually.
Earlier this week, as media outlets inquired about logistics for accessing the virtual proceeding, New York state court administrators announced that the conference would be sealed. This notification was issued at 1:18 p.m. on Tuesday, less than 24 hours before the scheduled start time, leaving the media and their legal counsel minimal time to contest the sealing.
Attorneys representing various media organizations, along with at least one reporter, submitted letters requesting an opportunity to address the court regarding the sealing before the hearing took place.
While the right of the press and public to attend court proceedings has limited exceptions, judges are prohibited from restricting access without a specific legal justification. Multiple court rulings affirm that the press and public have the right to present objections to the court concerning sealing orders.
Despite several media organizations objecting to the sealing and requesting to be heard—a common and accepted practice in both state and federal courts—Judge Carro did not grant them this opportunity.
Instead, the virtual conference commenced without the judge hearing any objections. The proceeding began at approximately 9:30 a.m., with Judge Carro taking the bench around 10:30 a.m.
“Just so the record is clear, we did have a virtual proceeding in the people versus Luigi Mangione case,”
“Defendant was present. His attorneys were present. The people were present,”
“At the request of the defense, that proceeding is sealed at the moment and we have adjourned the case to June 16 and it’s a physical appearance and you’re all invited to be here.”
Judge Carro did not provide an explanation for the sealing of the proceeding. Furthermore, he did not permit the press to address the court following his statements. When several members of the press attempted to speak—an action that frequently occurs when urgent access issues arise—Judge Carro had already moved on to the next case.
