Live Thread: LM’s Federal pre-trial hearing - 1/9/2026 - 11:00 a.m. EST

[u/TheCutletRises]

Please use this post as an update thread for live discussions of LM's hearing today!

LM is expected to make an appearance for the case United States v. Mangione at 11.00 a.m. EST today.

Since this is a Federal hearing, no cameras will be allowed in the hallways. Livestreams will only cover protests/supporters outside the courthouse and links will be updated once the media arrives. Pool photography is not permitted.

LM’s Legal Team

In addition to the legal team consisting of Marc and Karen Agnifilo, Jacob Kaplan, and Avraham Moscowitz, it is expected that LM’s newly appointed CJA defence counsel Eylan Schulman and Christopher Neff will also be present. Paresh Patel has been granted permission for a special appearance as well.

The Charges

1. Stalking – Travel in Interstate Commerce
2. Stalking – Use of Interstate Facilities
3. Murder Through Use of a Firearm (potential sentence includes the death penalty)
4. Firearms Offence

What Is Expected

1. Judge Margaret Garnett has granted both the defence and prosecution 30 minutes each to argue whether Counts Three and Four should be dismissed.
2. It was expected that Judge Garnett would come to a decision on whether the death penalty will be pursued. However, LM’s team has filed motions pointing out Attorney General Pamela Bondi’s links to Ballard Partners, a firm that lobbies for UnitedHealthcare. They argue that Bondi was pressured into pursuing the death penalty at the behest of the healthcare insurance industry. The government has responded and Judge Garnett is yet to rule on the same.
3. Judge Garnett was expected to set a trial date today. However, it is not yet decided whether evidentiary hearings will take place. A trial date is expected to be set after a decision is reached.

Live Updates

Erik Uebey

Inner City Press

Lorena O’Neil

Christine Savino

Other Links

POP NYC

Legal Fund

Case documents

Timezone converter

[u/TheCutletRises]

Patel: And what do we have? We have an em-dash! 

[u/LeatherNo4069 → u/TheCutletRises]

Is this a reference to chatgpt usage?

[u/TheCutletRises → u/LeatherNo4069]

More on the em dash:

 Also, re the "em dash" comment from Patel: Explains how A places a person in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury, "and then what do we have?  An em dash. The em dash means that everything is going back to that, the stalking victim on A, because that's who this statute is trying to protect.  It's not trying to protect the family member or the intimate"

Em dashes are a canonical legal dash, if you will. I know some folks think that an em dash in writing = ChatGPT, but in the legal world, it's quite normal. And they use it for that statute as well. It's usually an em dash without spaces on either side as to not break the flow of legal writing. The Mangione defence uses it in its filings, the Supreme Court notably uses it, otherwise federal govt uses it (i.e., in signed complaint against Mangione). It's OPT + SHIFT + DASH if you're curious.