JUDGE MAKES RARE RULING IN MANGIONE CASE

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was back in court Tuesday. After a hearing in New York, a judge ruled that the jury in Mangione's state murder trial will be anonymous. Well, jury selection for Luigi Mangione's state murder case is set to begin in less than four weeks. And get this, now, the judge overseeing his trial says the identities of those jurors will be shielded from the public. A rare decision sometimes made in high-profile cases. In a court filing Tuesday, the judge said: "...extensive media coverage and repeated public demonstrations...create a realistic and substantial risk that prospective and sworn jurors could be subject to harassment, intimidation, or improper outside influence..." Mangione, of course, is accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk in December 2024. The killing was widely condemned, but some Americans who say they're frustrated with the insurance industry have supported Mangione, even showing up inside or near the Manhattan courtroom. The 28-year-old has pleaded not guilty to state charges of murder, weapons, and forgery, along with federal stalking charges. Mangione also has a pre-trial conference for his federal case Friday morning. That trial, guys, is expected to begin in January.