Luigi Mangione and Sean “Diddy” Combs appear to share more than just their legal troubles and ankle shackles. Karen Friedman-Agnifilo, the high-profile attorney defending Luigi Mangione in the UnitedHealthcare murder case, happens to be married to Marc Agnifilo, who is representing the rapper in his ongoing fight against sex trafficking allegations.
Friedman-Agnifilo replaced Mangione’s initial representation Thomas Dickey on Friday. Friedman-Agnifilo, a former prosecutor, left her long-standing role as head of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office’s sex crimes unit in 2021 to join her husband’s private law practice, Agnifilo Intrater LLP. She had earlier helped prosecute the Harvey Weinstein case in New York and handled several high-profile cases in NY.
Strange Coincidence
Friedman-Agnifilo is widely regarded as a seasoned expert in New York’s state court system. According to a source who spoke to CNN, she “knows every hallway, every judge, and every clerk in the courthouse.”
“She’s got as much experience as any human being, especially in the state court.” Prior to joining her husband in the private sector, Friedman-Agnifilo served as the second-in-command to District Attorney Cyrus Vance for seven years. She left Vance in 2021.
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Friedman-Agnifilo earned a degree in political science and government before completing her law studies at Georgetown University.
She is also a co-host of the podcast MissTrial, alongside former New York Congresswoman Kathleen Rice and former federal prosecutor E. Danya Perry.
Friedman-Agnifilo’s marriage occasionally created professional challenges, forcing her to withdraw from cases where her husband represented defendants. One notable example was the rape case against Harvey Weinstein.
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In 2017, the disgraced film producer hired a lawyer from Agnifilo Intrater LLP after “Boardwalk Empire” actress Paz de la Huerta accused Weinstein of raping her years earlier, presenting “credible and detailed” allegations. This conflict of interest required Friedman-Agnifilo to step aside from the prosecution.
She also played a key role as the lead investigator in claims that Seton Hall’s former board chairman had sexually harassed the wife of the university’s former president. However, the allegations were later found to be unsubstantiated.
A Complicated Case
Meanwhile, efforts to raise funds for Luigi Mangione’s legal defense have surfaced through multiple crowdfunding campaigns, as reported by ABC News.
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Mangione, 26, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, outside a New York City hotel on December 4. He was arrested in Pennsylvania on firearms charges and had a busy day in court on Tuesday as he contested extradition to New York.
While Mangione seeks to delay his transfer, New York officials are pursuing a legal process known as a governor’s warrant to bring him back. This type of warrant is signed by the governor of the state where a suspect is found after fleeing a crime. It’s issued following an official request from the governor of the state where the alleged offense occurred.
In this case, New York Governor Kathy Hochul is expected to request a governor’s warrant from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. However, the process could take several weeks to complete.
