Who is Katharine Parker? Luigi Mangione's pre-trial judge is married to former executive at Pfizer

Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker is overseeing the pre-trial hearings in the case of Luigi Mangione, the suspect accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. As per the Practising Law Institute's website, Katharine H. Parker is a United States Magistrate Judge who was sworn into office on November 4, 2016.

Parker earned her B.A. degree, cum laude, in 1989 from Duke University. She received her J.D., cum laude, from Fordham University School of Law in 1992, wherein she was elected to the Order of the Coif. The judge also served as an editor for the Notes & Articles in the Fordham Law Review.

A netizen tweeted about Judge Katharine Parker (Image via X/ @jerallingham)

According to a report by journalist Ken Klippenstein, Luigi Mangione's pre-trial judge is married to Bret Parker, a former Pfizer executive who still collects his pension from the company.

As per The Daily Beast's December 23, 2024, report, Parker owns between $50,000 and $100,000 in Pfizer stock, along with holdings in other healthcare companies such as CRISPR Therapeutics, Viatris, and Abbott Laboratories. The judge also has holdings in companies like Tesla, Apple, Google, and Amazon.

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"I am very concerned about my client's right to a fair trial" — Luigi Mangione's attorney tells judge

During his arraignment at a lower Manhattan courthouse on December 23, 2024, 26-year-old Mangione pleaded not guilty to the 11 state charges against him related to the December 4, 2024 shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

According to a report by Time dated December 23, 2024, Luigi Mangione's attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, expressed her concern about her client's right to a proper trial, stating:

“I am very concerned about my client’s right to a fair trial.”

Agnifilo told the judge that government officials, like New York City Mayor Eric Adams, have turned her client into a political prop, taking away his rights as a defendant and negatively affecting the jury pool. Luigi Mangione's attorney also commented on her client's return to New York, calling it the "biggest stage perp walk."

“There was no reason for the NYPD and everybody to have these big assault rifles that frankly I had no idea was in their arsenal ― and to have all of this press there. It was perfectly choreographed,” Agnifilo said.

On the federal level, Mangione is charged with a gun offense, murder through the use of a firearm, and two counts of stalking. According to a report by The Independent dated December 23, 2024, Mangione's attorney condemned the federal case against her client.

Agnifilo said that the federal government's decision to "pile on top of an already overcharged first-degree murder and state terror case" was very unusual and that it raised concerns on the grounds of the constitution and statutory double jeopardy. However, Mangione's attorney added that they were ready to fight the charges regardless of the court they were brought in.

The Independent reported that in addition to federal charges, Luigi Mangione also faces charges in Pennsylvania related to fake ID cards and the 3-D printed gun found on him at the time of his arrest. The police also discovered a 262-word manifesto, a spiral notebook with a to-do list, and a silencer in Mangione's possession at the time of his arrest.

The difference between the two is that the state charges suggest that the shooting was an act of terrorism. On the other hand, if Mangione is convicted on federal charges, there could be a possibility of the death penalty.

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Currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, Luigi Mangione is set for a court appearance in February 2025.