A Manhattan federal judge has postponed the stalking trial of Luigi Mangione until January 2027 to prevent scheduling conflicts with his upcoming state murder trial.
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District Judge Margaret Garnett made the decision during a court hearing on Monday, June 29, 2026, at the Thurgood Marshall courthouse in Manhattan.
Court Proceedings Disrupted by Elevator Issues
The hearing was briefly disrupted when Mangione arrived 20 minutes late. A court official confirmed the delay was caused by technical problems with an elevator inside the courthouse.
Judge Garnett moved jury selection to January 5, 2027, and opening statements to January 25, 2027.
She explained that the defense team must focus entirely on the state murder trial scheduled for September 8, 2026.
"In my view it's simply impossible to be moving through the jury selection process in this case while the defendant and his counsel are fully occupied by conducting the state trial," Garnett said.
The judge also announced that the prospective juror questionnaire will remain sealed until the panel is selected to maintain the integrity of the process.
"[It] would only make what promises to be a difficult task more difficult," she added.
Defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo noted that the outcome of the state case could influence their federal strategy.
She indicated that the defense might request additional modifications to the jury questions depending on the September trial.
"We might ask the court to include other questions," Agnifilo said.
