Luigi Mangione - Come On, Who Isn't Experiencing "Extreme Mental Disturbance"

 We legal watchers always wondered why Williams & Connolly didn't use some version of the insanity defense on behalf of tech founder Elizabeth Holmes. After all, the tactics she leveraged to conceal a failing startup were, well, nutty. Had some type of mental aberration been explained to the jurors Holmes might have gotten off with less than the 135 month/$135 million payback sentence.

Less promising seems the "extreme mental disturbance" strategy for Luigi Mangione, created by the law firm Agnifilo Intrater. Essentially the argument is that at the time of the alleged shooting of United Healthcare executive Brian Thompson the defendant was experiencing a mental breakdown.

However, what seems obvious - premeditation and careful logistics including for a getaway - make proving that seem quite difficult. The guy appeared to be very much in control.

Another reason that legal move might not be effective is the high level of stress in current society. Who among us doesn't feel like we are entering a mental state of acute breakdown?

Recently, for me, the drivers included trying to get an appointment with a health specialist and the engine light going on in the car, not going off and the dealer not being able to give me an appointment for days. Although I felt "I can't go on" I have gone on. And it wasn't to shoot anyone in those loops. Jurors likely share these emotional realities - and on a regular basis.

What goes on in a court of law differs significantly from the hoopla of a fan club. Mangione certainly has supporters out there. 

My hunch is that this defense in terms of the law is counterproductive. If I were a juror who has been coping with what is I would be turned off that a young middle-class well-fed highly educated (BSE, MSE) person should get off because of ...

In coaching I warn clients about the severe consequences of the loss of emotional control. Even a snippet of it. Everyone vividly recalls your bad day. 

Success often comes down to not acting on impulse. Never. The greats in law showcase fierce emotional control on duty and off duty. They include Adler's John Tarantino, Jones Day's Mickey Pohl and Paul, Weiss' Brad Karp. 

Simple Takeaway: A military guy on my network tells recruits that no one gives a rat's ass how you feel. All the world has to go on is your behavior. 

UPDATE:

Above the Law makes the joke: Would United Healthcare cover Mangione's alleged mental condition? My United Healtcare Medical Advantage bills me $55 for a visit to each specialist, including a mental health one, if my primary care provider refers me. 

Careers? So Over. It’s about Earning a Good Living. No matter what.

Complimentary consultation. No Pressure. Street-smart Guidance. Contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

America Not Hiring in 2026: Back to Golden Age of Solopreneurs?

 For hiring, 2025 was a brutal year to search for a job. The Wall Street Journal reports that 2026 could be worse: "At a gathering of CEOs in Midtown Manhattan this month organized by the Yale School of Management, 66% of leaders surveyed said they planned to either fire workers or maintain the size of their existing teams next year. Only a third indicated they planned to hire." The WSJ adds that pullback from adding manpower could be temporary. But given shareholders' demand for cost-efficiency and the continual improvements in AI, chronic unemployment could become standard. However, there is a solution. An old-fashioned one. That's becoming a solopreneur, that is setting up your own business without partners or employees. The model dates back to ancient times.  The golden age of the solo business owner in America had been from the late 1800s to about the mid 1920s.  There had been a wave of immigrants, discrimination against them and few jobs. They drove pushcarts ...
Read more

Newly Minted PhDs in Economics Face Unwelcoming Job Market: Of Course, I Left My PhD in Humanities Off the Resume

Monitor postings on Reddit subunits focused on careers and it's no longer news that PhDs, both newly minted and those already in the labor market, generally are finding the credential an obstacle in the search for a job or even contract assignments. No, not an asset.  Let's cut to the chase. The highly educated have to get smart about this, fast. With some exceptions, I advise those I coach to leave the PhD off job-search materials. The negative assumptions among those hiring range from that you expect too much money to you'll be a know-it-all.  When my boutique collapsed post-9/11 and I had to land a survival job I lopped off everything but the BA. At the interview I dumbed-down my vocabulary. Sure Harvard was started in 1636 but America remains anti-intellectual. In addition, the integration of AI into strategy and operations makes knowledge work in general less and less marketable.  That's the narrative of our times: Advanced degrees having low or no ROI. The result,...
Read more

Harvard and Grades: Leveling the Playing Field

  Today, faculty at Harvard vote on the issue of limiting "A" grades.  The perception has been that too many of those have been handed out but not earned.  It's common for Harvard College graduates to go after jobs in finance and consulting and apply to top law schools. Those require high grades. That's the first cut. Without those grades the edge of the investment of a Harvard education could be diminished. Hell, you could have gone to a state school. Obviously students oppose limiting the number of "A" grades. The playing field on which they compete for a future could be made more level. Earning a Good Living in 2026 Involves Mental Combat. The enemy is usually your own thinking. Complimentary consultation. No Pressure. Solid Guidance. Contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com.
Read more