Prosecutors in the case against Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, defended their actions on Friday. They responded to allegations from Mangione's defense team, who claimed that the prosecutors violated the accused's medical privacy rights. The defense argued that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office improperly subpoenaed Aetna for confidential information, which they said violated the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

In their filing, prosecutors stated that the information they sought was "entirely unremarkable," including basic details such as Mangione's account number and coverage period. They emphasized that there was nothing "secretive or nefarious" about the subpoena. According to prosecutors, Aetna provided more information than what was requested, which led to the confusion.

Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann explained, "Given these circumstances, defendant's real complaint is not about the subpoena itself, but about Aetna's response to the subpoena, which included documents that the People had not requested." He noted that the district attorney's office identified the error and promptly notified the court and the defense, deleting the extraneous materials from their records.

Seidemann also pointed out that the defense exacerbated the situation by sending an email that included the entire Aetna file, which the prosecutors had already deleted. He criticized the defense's claims, stating, "The defense nonetheless seeks to punish the People for the administrative mistakes of others, claiming that the People have perpetrated a 'lie and a fraud' against defendant -- an inflammatory and dubious accusation without any basis."

Prosecutors urged the judge to deny any relief to Mangione and to proceed with setting a trial date. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state charges of murder in connection with Thompson's death, which occurred outside a Midtown hotel last year. He also faces federal charges that could lead to the death penalty.