Luigi Mangione has backed off plans to say he was emotionally distressed when he allegedly shot dead a healthcare executive.Mangione’s lawyers said they were withdrawing the claim he was suffering from an ‘extreme emotional disturbance’ when he shot dead UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson in December 2024.The U-turn came after his attorney Karen Agnifio said during a secret June 3 hearing – the transcript of which was made public late Thursday – she worried that by mounting such a defense he would be ‘essentially admitting the crime’.Mangione's plans had only been revealed on Tuesday this week, over the objections of his lawyers who said making them public could prejudice the jury.Mangione, 28, has been charged in state and federal court for allegedly shooting dead Thompson, 50, outside a hotel in New York.During the hearing it also emerged that the case could have an anonymous jury over fears about ‘threats’ being made in court – and Mangione's legion of fans approaching jurors.Mangione, 28, an Ivy League graduate, has been charged in state and federal court for allegedly shooting dead UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, 50, in broad daylight in December 2024.His state trial is set to begin on September 8 at the Manhattan Criminal Court.If the defense succeeds in convincing a jury that Mangione had been suffering from a psychiatric condition at the time of the alleged killing, he could receive less prison time.Mangione's defense team requested a secret hearing two weeks ago to present the strategy, known as ‘extreme emotional disturbance’, or EED.Luigi Mangione is reconsidering claiming he was emotionally disturbed when he allegedly shot dead a healthcare executive because he would be ‘essentially admitting the crime ’, his lawyers have said The prosecution is worried that fans of Mangione could influence the jury and is asking for tee shrits and placards supporting the accused assassin to be barred from the courtroomJudge Gregory Carro ruled that the transcript should be unsealed, over the objections of Agnifilo, who said it might harm his federal case.‘If defendant goes with an EED defense, they're essentially admitting publicly that they committed this crime,' Agnifilo said, according to the hearing transcript.‘And due to the high publicity in this case, not only will making this public before we know for sure whether we are going with this defense, it prejudices both this case and the federal case because of the extraordinary publicity affecting potential jurors.‘And this is important because we are still in the process of testing Mr Mangione to determine what we will be doing.'Agnifilo said that the tests were ongoing into Mangione’s mental state but it was taking time because he was in a federal prison in Brooklyn.Further complicating the process is that some experts wanted no part in the case.‘Because of the notoriety of this case, some doctors have refused to cooperate, which is required as to go through the interstate subpoena process and through their attorneys and have litigation in that regard,' Agnifilo said. Prosecutors have demanded a full report about Mangione’s mental state but ‘no expert can write a report until all this testing is completed’, Agnifilo added.Mangione, 28, an Ivy League graduate, has been charged in state and federal court for allegedly shooting dead UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, 50, in December 2024 Judge Gregory Carro insisted the case would go ahead as planned and gave the defense two weeks from the June 3 hearing to hand over all of the medical recordsProsecutor Joel Seidemann accused Agnifilo of trying to ‘run out the clock’ and delay the trial, arguing the defense has had 18 months to raise this issue.Judge Carro insisted the case would go ahead as planned and gave Agnifilo two weeks from the June 3 hearing to hand over all of the medical records in her law firm’s possession to the prosecution.Seidemann also raised the issue of safety during the trial. Every hearing so far has been attended by groups of ‘Mangionistas’ – fans of Mangione who believe his alleged actions were justified.Some have worn t-shirts with the Luigi symbol from the Mario Bros. movies in support of Mangione, who they regard as a hero.‘There have been issues with respect to the presence of certain individuals in the courtroom,' Seidemann said.‘I take it, that the court will prohibit people from wearing tee shirts, carrying signs or alike at the trial itself.‘There has been stuff posted on the internet with respect to efforts to approach prospective jurors and inform them of their right to join, by setting up tables in front of 100 Centre Street’, referring to the location of the courthouse.Seidemann called this a ‘red flag in terms of jury selection'. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed outside Manhattan's Hilton Hotel in December 2024‘So, I am concerned about the presence of people who may be making threats particularly, and I do think that our office will be considering an order. I don't know if counsel will consider this as well, an order for an anonymous jury,' he said.Both the judge and Mangione's lawyers agreed to consider it. ‘It sounds reasonable to me,' Judge Carro said of the request. Mangione’s federal case is taking place in New York in a courtroom a few blocks from the state court.US District Judge Margaret Garnett has dismissed four of the federal counts including murder through the use of a firearm and a related firearms offense.Critically, the dismissal of the murder charge meant Mangione is no longer eligible for the death penalty.Mangione still faces two counts of interstate stalking, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.The federal case is due to go on trial next year once the state matter is concluded.Mangione is currently being held at the grim Metropolitan Detention Centre, a federal prison in Brooklyn whose previous inmates included R. Kelly and Diddy.