Luigi Mangioneattorney calls New York mayor Eric Adams for setting up a dog and pony show with the alleged murderer that would make it impossible for his client to get a fair trial.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo lashed out at Mayor Adams and law enforcement during Mangione’s sentencing on Monday, blasting him for last week’s scene on the helipad with Mangione. extradited on charges of murder. You’ll recall that he was escorted by about a dozen NYPD officers and FBI agents, many heavily armed, as well as the mayor himself.
19.12.24:
Agnifilo says that his client’s constitutional right to the presumption of innocence is being violated. he was on display for all to see in the biggest staged walk I’ve seen in my career,” he says, as Mangione has been fully cooperative since his arrest.
He called the imaginary walk “perfectly choreographed” and was particularly annoyed by the participation of Mayor Adams; Agnifilo cited case law that says “these staged mock trips to the media unrelated to the legitimate purpose of law enforcement are unconstitutional.”
Then it got personal when Agniphilo added: “The mayor should know more than anyone else that there is a presumption of innocence that he is also afforded when dealing with his own affairs”… alleged corruption.
He claims Adams is simply using Mangione’s arrest and trial to distract from his criminal case.
That’s right… The mayor, marching with law enforcement, carrying Mangione, raised a lot of eyebrows because of the optics; as Agnifilo pointed out, this could have prejudiced the jury, making Mangione guilty even before he stood trial.
Mangione’s lead attorney also ripped prosecutors from the Manhattan DA’s office and the U.S. attorney’s office, who he sees as fighting for his client. “He’s being treated like a human ping-pong ball between these warring powers.”
The fact is, if nothing else, Agnifilo lays the groundwork for an appeal… if Mangione is convicted.
