What’s new
The judge overseeing Luigi Mangione’s preliminary hearings is married to a former Pfizer executive, according to a report.
Justice Katharine H. Parker’s husband, Bret Parker, left Pfizer, where he was vice president and deputy general counsel, in 2010, journalist Ken Klippenstein reported on his Substack page.
Judge also owns hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock, including in Pfizer and other health care and pharmaceutical companies, according to her 2023 financial filings.
Parker is presiding over preliminary hearings in Mangione’s federal case, but is not expected to oversee his trial.
News week contacted Parker for comment via an email sent to his office outside of normal business hours. Mangione’s attorney was contacted for comment via email.
Curtis Means/Pool-Getty Images
Why it matters
Mangione, 26, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on his way to his company’s annual investor conference at New York’s Hilton Midtown on Dec. 4. some view the shooter as a folk hero, while shaking up corporate America and causing some companies to re-evaluate their security protocols.
Parker’s ties to the health care industry raise concerns about a potential conflict of interest.
Mangione’s lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, raised concerns about her client’s right to a fair trial and said he was being used for “political fodder.” “He is being harmed by certain statements made by public officials,” she said in court Monday.
State Trial Court Judge Gregory Carro said Monday he could guarantee Mangione would get a fair trial, while adding he had little control over what happened outside of the courtroom, the Associated Press reported.
What you need to know
Mangione pleaded not guilty to murder and terrorism charges during an arraignment Monday. He also faces federal charges of stalking and murder, and could face the death penalty if convicted.
He made his first appearance in Manhattan federal court Thursday after being extradited from Pennsylvania, with Parker presiding.
According to Klippenstein, Parker owns between $50,000 and $100,000 worth of Pfizer stock, and her husband still receives a pension from Pfizer. He has been executive director of the New York Bar Association since 2013, according to his LinkedIn page. He was contacted for comment by email.
Judge also owns shares in other healthcare, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Abbott Laboratories, Viatris and CRISPR Therapeutics. It also has stakes in Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Microsoft, Tesla, Apple and other companies.
A handwritten note found on Mangione after his arrest referenced some of these companies.
“United is the [indecipherable] “the largest company in the United States by market capitalization, behind Apple, Google and Walmart,” the note said.
“He grew and grew, but [h]like our life expectancy? No, the reality is that these [indecipherable] have simply become too powerful, and they continue to exploit our country for immense profits because American public opinion has allowed them to get away with it. »
What people say
The popular account @ProudSocialist job: “This is a major conflict of interest. This judge must recuse himself so that Luigi Mangione can receive a fair trial.”
THE New York PostBen Kochman, senior legal reporter for wrote on: “She will not be the judge presiding over his bail hearing, pre-trial evidence disputes, etc. Magistrate judges deal primarily with administrative matters.”
Friedman Agnifilo in court Monday: “I am very concerned about my client’s right to a fair trial in this case. He is being prejudiced by certain statements made by government officials.
“Like any other defendant, he is entitled to the presumption of innocence. But unfortunately, the way this case has been handled thus far, his rights have been violated, and as you know, Your Honor, there is a multitude of case law guaranteeing his right to a fair trial, but no guarantees have yet been put in place here, in fact, it is the complete opposite of what is happening. He is a young man, and he is being treated. like a ball human ping-pong between two warring jurisdictions.
What’s next
Mangione is being held without bail at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He will likely remain there while pretrial motions begin for the state and federal cases against him.
Mangione’s next appearance in federal court is Jan. 18. His next appearance in state court was set for Feb. 21.
