Luigi Mangione makes first appearance in Manhattan federal court on murder charges in death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson

Accused UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter Luigi Mangione made his initial appearance in Manhattan federal court Thursday after being slapped with federal murder charges in the death of Brian Thompson.

He entered the courtroom in civilian clothes – a black quarter-zip sweater over a white shirt, and tan khakis. He was not wearing handcuffs, but the sound of ankle shackles being removed rang out in the courtroom.

Mangione sat calmly between his attorneys as magistrate judge Katharine Parker read him his rights followed by the charges against him, which include murder through the use of a firearm, two counts of stalking and one count of possession of a firearm.

She asked if he understood what he was being accused of, to which Mangione replied “yes.”

Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Mangione’s lead attorney – who a short time earlier arrived outside Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse relying on crutches to walk – told the court she was “blindsided” by the new spate of federal charges.

Federal prosecutors requested Mangione be detained, which Parker agreed to, setting Jan. 18 as his next court date.