Compliance Won't Save You: Inside the Court for Luigi's 2/6 State Hearing

Please note: this is not supposed to be an exhaustive account of court proceedings or a legal overview. It is, rather, my own personal experience as a witness to court proceedings.

None of us were really sure what to expect on February sixth, other than to be presented with future scheduling decisions. I had noticed that the May 18th date was listed on the court docket as “rescheduled,” with only February sixth remaining as an active date. Since May 18th was meant to be the hearing where Judge Carro would announce his decision on the suppression hearings held back in December, many of us, public and press included, thought that he’d made his decision sooner due to Judge Garnett’s own ruling on the suppression request in the federal case made on the previous Friday. I couldn’t help but feel incredibly nervous in the days leading up to the hearing because of this possibility. Not sleeping the night before had become quite routine for me by this point, but I felt extra on edge as adrenaline coursed through my veins. I bit all of my nails down to stubs before finally falling into a deep sleep.

I woke up around 4:30 AM and the city that never sleeps was shockingly still. I had stayed the night in Brooklyn at my best friend’s place so I could sleep in a little bit longer, as opposed to driving straight from New Jersey. I like to get ready slowly, especially on mornings when I might feel anxious. There’s nothing worse than running late when you’re already stressed, so I always opt to be extra early instead. I had already packed my bag and laptop away the night before, so all I really had to do was make myself look presentable. I did so in complete silence, mulling over the endless possibilities of the day.

It was not lost on me that this was going to be the last hearing for quite some time, which was disheartening. I had gotten quite used to attending court often since there had been hearings almost every week since December had begun. It was great to have movement in the cases, especially as the first few months had been so slow. And man, was there a lot of positive movement. The defense getting so many of the major charges knocked off made me feel spirited and poised to continue the fight. If waiting so long to have Luigi’s cases heard felt frustrating to me, I couldn’t even begin to wrap my head around how infuriating it felt for him. Coming to hearings will, at the very least, help to break up the monotony of being incarcerated and being forced to live within a constant groundhog day.

I loaded into my car, layered up as much as possible yet still somehow shivering. I don’t usually like to drive with shoes or gloves on, but I couldn’t get away with taking either pair off this time. “Hey Siri, text Ashley that I’ll be there in 20 minutes,” I croaked out. Those were my first words of the day. As I drove across the Brooklyn Bridge, I couldn’t help but notice the beautiful sunrise starting to illuminate the sleeping city. I stole glances as I drove, wary not to drift across the lanes while doing so, but feeling drawn in by the pink and orange burst enveloping me. There is something so special about that time of day, before most people are up. My sleep schedule has naturally shifted due to the early nature of the hearings, but I have come to really love waking up so early. I seem to do it naturally without the need for an alarm now. Watching the sunset erupt into colors every morning is the perfect way to ignite my inner flame and encourage me to press on.

As I passed by 100 Centre Street on my way to my preferred parking spot in Chinatown, I could see the public line already gathered together on the sidewalk. I wanted to beep my horn in a silly greeting, but I was mindful that they must feel tired and opted not to. I’m also extra wary around some members of the public line now, as I’ve received a lot of anonymous intel about individuals who I’ve lined up with and shown kindness to who are talking about me behind my back constantly. Many are fake-nice to my face until it is no longer convenient, and then spend their days and nights constantly speculating about me online and plotting their next smear campaign. It gets pretty old to hear of those sometimes even twice my age photographing me in secret, analyzing my every move, or twisting my actions and words into some weird online fan-fiction or fodder for their obsessive Abril focused chatrooms. Some of these Luigi pages should really rename themselves to “Snark Page for Abril” because they seem to really be relying on me for all their engagement and entertainment. These individuals can claim all they want that they are simply reporting on happenings within the support group objectively, but a climate that constantly amplifies delusion breeds danger, especially for a woman like me that refuses to disappear.

While much of the rumors that come out of these cesspools are extremely comedic and admittedly very entertaining (somehow they seem to believe I’m simultaneously UHC’s paid honeypot spy but also in cahoots with Luigi’s whole team and a paid PR agent), it concerns me that someone delusional enough to believe any of it would be inspired by the incessant hate these rumors encourage and incite to do something to me in person, so I don’t really interact as much anymore, especially with those I am not already acquainted with on a deeper level. I’ve chosen very much to step away and take a more individual approach with my advocacy, though I wish the rest of them well in their own endeavors and I don’t have any hard feelings. What anyone chooses to think of me is not really any of my business after all, and I’m not interested in convincing ideologues to support what I am doing. I know I am so much more than anyone’s projected perception of me. I am focused on the case, my own personal efforts to do my part for my country, and the things I can expressly control. I am attending to be a witness, not to judge others or be content-farmed (though I know the latter will happen regardless.)

So, I parked quietly and walked the block and a half to the courthouse, feeling the cold permeate through my cashmere tights. I had on three pairs of socks on top of my tights: one regular, one thermal, and one fuzzy. Yet, I could still feel my toes getting prickly, and eventually, going completely numb. “Don’t they say you’re not supposed to not feel your toes?” I asked Ashley, since I remembered seeing some warning about numbness and frostbite on the news last week. She shrugged. If we had to get potential exposure to frostbite to bear witness to the proceedings, we would gladly do so. Someone’s opinion or a chilly breeze isn’t going to stop me from doing me. In the past, the officers had let those with passes in around 7:30 AM. But on this occasion, the time agonizingly crawled past eight and we were still waiting outside, wishing we had stayed in my car for a bit longer. I missed the federal courthouse already; we’d barely had to wait outside to attend federal hearings. To pass the time, we chatted (off the record) about the case and our expectations for the day with journalists from News Nation and MSNBC, as we shifted from foot to foot to keep warm. I even tried to trick myself with reverse psychology, repeating how warm it was over and over in my mind.

Finally, at half past eight, we were let in. I was shocked at how quickly I went through the x-ray. I had gotten used to the absolutely grueling process that the federal court made us go through to enter the building, especially since it had been weeks since I’d been at the state courthouse. This process felt rudimentary in comparison. When I stepped into the elevator, I didn’t even have to check the floor number. I knew it was going to be in the same room as always. I clicked the 13th floor button–my lucky number–and up we went.

The hallway was devoid of photographers, other than David and a couple others. I took that to mean that Luigi would likely be brought in through the back of the courtroom again, and not paraded down the hall like the early days. That was a positive thing, at least. We were filed in around 9:00 AM, and Ashley and I opted to sit together on the left hand side of the courtroom, only a few rows behind the prosecution’s table and diagonal from the defense. When we took our seats, both teams were not yet present. Nor was the judge. In fact, it took two whole hours for anyone at all, other than court officers, to appear. For whatever reason, we weren’t called to order until half past 11:00 AM. Luckily, I had my computer, so I could at least get some other work done as we waited.

Once both teams were present, they joined Judge Carro at the stand for a sidebar to begin. While I could not make out most of what they were saying, it was obvious that there was a heated discussion taking place. From the little I could make out, it would seem that Judge Carro and Joel Seidemann were teaming up against the defense, due to their frustrations towards Judge Garnett for scheduling a trial date before they could. While I could hear Karen and Marc Agnifilo posit that there would be no way for them to be ready to go to trial in the state case in between preparing for the federal case, Seidemann continued to bring up arguments that felt quite irrelevant, like the fact that the victims’ mother was getting older and wanted to be able to attend, or that the prosecutors wouldn’t have a case if they went after the feds (referring to the double jeopardy issue.) Instead of hearing these excuses and keeping an open mind, Judge Carro seemed to immediately side with Seidemann’s strange excuses and did not even allow the defense to make their case otherwise. While Judge Carro continued to interrupt Karen Agnifilo, the press were getting antsy, shifting in their seats. In the past, they have objected when long sidebars take place, citing their right to know. This time was no different. There are limits to this right, however, and the court staff immediately intervened and assured the reporter who had her hand raised that the important information would be put on the record for their access.

After the sidebar ended, Karen Agnifilo walked into the cell area, likely to check on Luigi, who had not come out yet. At this point, many of us wondered if he was even present, since it was odd that he hadn’t been brought out by that point. She returned alone, and another sidebar took place, which only lasted a couple minutes before both parties sat down and Luigi was, finally, brought in. I was frustrated to see that not only was he back to wearing his MDC issued tan jumpsuit, but he was completely shackled throughout. This means he was unable to take notes or even drink water. It seemed absurd to me that he seems to be given more dignity and respect in a federal courtroom–one that seems much more foreboding and unforgiving–than in the dingy and paltry state courthouse.

It has been very clear to me from the start that the NYPD is allowing their ego to dictate their treatment of Luigi, and this was reflected by Judge Carro who spoke over Karen as she listed the work they had yet to do, immaturely posturing “but what about the work that the NYPD has done?” Rather than a courtroom, Judge Carro’s arguments and his inability to be respectful to the defense team had turned the courtroom into a kindergarten playground, in which a little boy screamed at the top of his lungs: “but what about me!” But what about the defendant, who has spent the last year imprisoned, waiting to have his case heard in front of a judge? Does he not also deserve to be heard, as is his right? With each rude interruption on the judge’s part, the gallery got more antsy, and murmurs of discomfort were impossible to ignore.

Once Luigi was sat at the defense table, Judge Carro wasted no time announcing a June 8th date for the trial (September 8th if the feds decide to appeal the dropping of the death penalty.) Joel Seidemann seemed to jump for joy as he thanked the judge for granting him his wish, and chastised the defense for “delaying” the case. Karen Agnifilo, on the other hand, stated quite simply that “Mangione is being put in an untenable situation.” She ran through the process they still had to go through, once again insisting that they would not be ready in the summer. She reiterated Seidemann’s own prior claim: that the DA doesn’t want the federal case to go forward because he doesn’t want to be barred by double jeopardy. Judge Carro interrupted her mid-sentence, once again, to claim that the county that issued the arrest warrant should go first.

Luigi looked absolutely perplexed at this, and so was I. If we were to humor Judge Carro’s downright ridiculous claim, wouldn’t the first jurisdiction to get dibs on scheduling a trial be Altoona, then? How was New York State the “first county that issued the arrest warrant”? Anyone with common sense would think that the most serious case should be the first to go to trial. It was quite obvious to me that Judge Carro and Joel Seidemann were teaming up in their little boys’ club to cherry-pick arguments to fit their own desired narratives and to repeatedly interrupt a woman who was simply doing her job. Karen continued, unperturbed, stating that it would be legal malpractice for the defense not to pursue double jeopardy, and they had every intention to do so. I felt like clapping. Though I’m not a legal expert, it seems more likely to me that the defense can use the double jeopardy argument if the state case does actually go first. So, Carro and Seidemann’s egos and misogyny might cost them their beloved case anyway. And boy, wouldn’t that be satisfying. It would seem to me that it would be in their best interest to take the Altoona Police Department’s ego-driven malpractice as an example of what not to do, and perhaps be a bit more impartial and fair, as is a judge’s job.

Karen spoke up to say that the defense was not delaying anything, but rather had submitted many long motions that had also been extremely successful. She cited the charges being dropped because of the motions that took time to file, which was an absolutely necessary step to take before any of the cases proceeded to trial. With the sass that he never dropped for a second of the day, Judge Carro condescendingly quipped “you’ve done a great job, so be ready June 8th,” and quickly adjourned the court before another word could be uttered. Or so we thought.

Suddenly, someone was speaking. But I didn’t see the defense, the prosecution, nor the judge’s mouth moving. It was coming from Luigi himself. I was shocked to hear his voice in court for the first time since he pled not guilty on December 23rd, 2025. As they stood him up and started to walk him out, he spoke clearly and confidently towards the judge: “1+1=2. It’s the same trial twice. This is double jeopardy by any common sense definition.” He did not yell. He did not speak aggressively, nor act in any way that was anything other than peaceful towards the officers that led him out. I felt his words were not only justified by Carro’s own disrespectful approach to the days’ proceedings, but also extremely cathartic to hear. Luigi’s bravery to speak up for his rights in the face of a judge bent on mistreating him is commendable, and reflected my own desires to interject–a desire that I am sure many in the courtroom shared on that day. Though I knew the media would go on to twist Luigi’s words and actions–as they have, claiming he was “yelling” or “violent”–I saw the truth. He simply was trying to be heard. Anyone in the same position as him would feel the same frustration, and I’d hope they would get the chance to air out their exasperation in the same way.

After we walked out of the courtroom, there were many mixed emotions on display in the hallway. Some of the members of the public ran out in an upset. Some were visibly emotional and trying to recount his statement, since it can be hard to hear from the back of the room. While feeling upset towards an upsetting situation is completely warranted, I felt quite differently. I felt proud of Luigi, for being the same person I chose to support since day one. I was pleased to see the passionate person, who fought for himself and others. I was harkened back to the early days of his arrest, when he spoke out in protest of the coverage of the case outside of the Altoona courthouse. Though I was already in support of whoever was behind December 4th from day one, that day was the first time I felt drawn to Luigi since his arrest had been announced. It wasn’t the alleged Reddit history, or the friends’ stories, or the photos that people dug up. I was fascinated to see someone that was the same age as me not be perturbed by the daunting case in front of him, or the empty soulless cameras pointed at him. I was delighted by his assertion that the American public should not be taken for fools. I was inspired by his audacity, bravery, and strength in a time that felt so hopeless. So to see him, once again, unleash that fearlessness, I did not feel sad. No. I felt a fire reignite in my spirit. Sometimes, though we know our actions might have repercussions, we need to air them out regardless to be able to sleep at night. And I do believe this was one of those necessary moments. Especially as the next pre-trial hearing is scheduled in several months.

So, now what? We wait. We plan. And we act. I’ve seen many people filing complaints against Judge Carro’s actions. Good. I’ve seen many starting new projects to spread awareness about Luigi’s cases. Great. What would be absolutely asinine to do right now is to stay quiet and let this moment pass. To not cause any waves. To not call any attention to what’s going on. What is important right now is to be as loud as possible and to continue speaking out, even in the face of opposition. Especially if you live in New York, or have a platform with a large basis in New York (like me), you have a duty to speak up. Compliance, acting respectfully, making yourself small in the face of oppression and violence does not get you anywhere, because your oppressor would never choose the same tactics on you. Why would they, when their way of forcing us into submission through fear-mongering and stripping us of our rights has worked so well? If you haven’t learned by now that the oppressors do not give into the oppressed by simply being asked nicely, then I don’t know if you’re even capable of consciousness. It is the time NOW to act. Not in a few weeks or months or years. Now. It is time to speak to your neighbors or anyone who might be jury eligible about jury nullification. And if you are eligible, consider submitting yourself for jury duty and keeping your cards close to your chest.

While Luigi may only be able to speak up for himself in brief moments in court that rarely occur, we, the public, are able to fight for him–and in turn, fight for ourselves–in any way we see fit. And if you’re choosing not to do so, or even trying to “cancel” those who do because you are threatened by their audacity instead of being called to action, you may as well be locking his cell door yourself. So go ahead, call me whatever names or spread whatever rumors about me. You can even say I personally woke up on December 4th, shot Brian Thompson, and framed Luigi myself. I’m sure that’s the next rumor coming in the weekly rumor mill. But I’ll never stop speaking up for him, for the nation I call home, and for the just future I still have hope is possible for us. Will you join those of us who have chosen to stand up with pride, or will you continue being a sheep herded towards oblivion, forced to blame your neighbor rather than fight back against the oppressive class?