Luigi Mangione has abruptly withdrawn the psychiatric defense he had recently signaled he would use in his upcoming trial related to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

According to a letter submitted by his attorneys to Judge Gregory Carro in Manhattan Supreme Court, the defense stated: “The defense respectfully withdraws CPL 250.10 notice at this time.”

The filing refers to a provision of New York criminal procedure law that is typically used when a defendant intends to introduce evidence related to an “extreme emotional disturbance” defense.

The sudden reversal comes just one day after the defense initially indicated it might pursue that strategy, suggesting Mangione will no longer rely on claims that he was overcome by extreme emotional disturbance during the December 2024 shooting of Thompson on a Midtown Manhattan sidewalk.

The change in legal approach shifts the focus of the case back toward standard criminal proceedings, with the court process expected to continue through pretrial motions and evidentiary hearings.

As the case moves forward, the legal strategy now appears more conventional, and the defense’s decision marks another turn in a closely watched and highly charged trial.