Luigi Mangione Is Back in Court Friday — But Here’s Why You Won’t See What He Looks Like

Luigi Mangione, accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, returns to court on Friday, April 18 — but this time, legions of observers interested in his case will not get to see what he looks like.

Mangione, 26, faces murder and stalking charges filed by federal prosecutors, who accuse him of gunning down Thompson on a Midtown Manhattan street on Dec. 4. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

The accused killer’s court dates have led to much discussion about his appearance, demeanor and wardrobe choices, and observers have exhaustively dissected whether Mangione may be sending messages with his choices of attire.

At his last appearance in February, he donned a green sweater — taken by some as a nod to his fans, who have adopted a green theme due to the Luigi character from Super Mario Bros. — as well as loafers and a bulletproof vest.

But unlike his previous appearances — which took place in New York State Supreme Court, where he could be photographed — Mangione will be in federal court on Friday, where photography and video footage are strictly forbidden.

That means the people of the internet don’t get the chance to see his appearance themselves this time, relying instead on descriptions from reporters and courtroom sketches. And as a high-profile defendant, Mangione will almost certainly be brought into the courtroom from a vehicle in the building’s garage, meaning he won’t be seen or photographed by the public.

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Mangione has become an unlikely anti-corporate icon among many Americans frustrated with the healthcare system. His court appearances have drawn legions of fans eager to support the accused assassin and hoping to catch a glimpse of him, while a fundraiser supporting his legal defense has raised more than $900,000 as of April 16.

In his only public statement to date in February, Mangione said he was “overwhelmed” and “grateful” for the amount of support he’d received.

Mangione is being held pretrial at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the same facility housing disgraced hip hop mogul and accused sex trafficker Sean “Diddy” Combs.

The defendant has received so much mail in custody at MDC that his lawyers have asked the public to stop sending him books and only send five photos at a time.

After authorities found a “heart-shaped” note in a pair of socks at his February court hearing, Manhattan prosecutors blasted the defense team as violating the “accommodation” the government was giving to Mangione’s “fashion needs.”

Mangione’s attorneys are currently seeking to block the Justice Department from seeking the death penalty against him, arguing Attorney General Pam Bondi’s decision to seek capital punishment is a “political stunt.”