Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York, initially indicates he will use a psychiatric defense in his state murder case. Multiple outlets report that a judge says Mangione’s lawyers will attempt to argue he was suffering from “extreme emotional disturbance” at the time of the alleged killing, a strategy that, if accepted by a jury, could lead to a lesser charge or reduced sentencing exposure.

However, that plan does not remain in place. CBS News and other reports say Mangione’s legal team drops or withdraws the psychiatric defense after court proceedings in the days immediately following the notice being unsealed. The withdrawal is described as abrupt, with references to a court filing and a change in course shortly after the defense option was made known.

Taken together, the reporting shows a procedural shift: the defense first signals an intent to rely on mental health evidence linked to “extreme emotional disturbance,” then later retracts that intention while the case continues under the same set of allegations.