4:37 PM PT -- Sources with knowledge tell TMZ ... Luigi's lawyers will resurrect the Extreme Emotional Distress defense as they get closer to the trial date. We're told the reason they backed off now is that they are doing more psych evaluations with Luigi and don’t want to turn over the records until they are complete. They also don’t want to play their hand until they get closer to trial.
It's a shocker for sure ... Luigi Mangione has backed off his core defense that was just announced in court yesterday, but there may be more to this story than meets the eye.
As we reported, the judge in his New York State murder trial revealed Wednesday ... Luigi's lawyers were mounting a novel defense called Extreme Emotional Disturbance. Short story -- it essentially means he was out of his head when he shot and killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
TMZ has reported extensively on Mangione's obsession with corporate greed ... and the defense planned to argue that obsession created an altered state in which Luigi felt he fired the gun to save humanity. If the jury bought the argument, it would reduce the murder charge to manslaughter.
The biological parents in the Florida IVF mix-up are incredibly sad to give up custody of their daughter ... at least according to their lawyer.
Here's the deal ... Tiffany Score and Steven Mills gave birth to a baby, Shea, who isn't theirs after the Fertility Center of Orlando allegedly implanted the wrong embryo ... but they reached a custody agreement with the child's biological parents, allowing them to continue as the girl's permanent custodial parents.
Thing is ... the biological parents' attorney, Rob Marcereau, says his clients are devastated.
The Massachusetts mom accused of brutally murdering her three young children was back in court again Thursday ... and she held an unsettling look on her face for most of the appearance.
Lindsay Clancy entered the courtroom in a wheelchair for the final pretrial conference hearing .... where her lawyer told the judge the 35-year-old was "a vegetable practically" due to medications ... claiming she struggled with severe mental health problems before the January 2023 triple murders.
Hillary Clinton broke into a giggling fit during the opening of Barack Obama's presidential library ... cracking up at what might've been a subtle dig at President Donald Trump ... and the punch line is the Nobel Peace Prize.
Here's the deal ... former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama gave a speech before her husband spoke ... listing his accomplishments and putting a special emphasis on one word in particular.
Michelle said one of her husband's greatest achievements was "winning the Nobel Peace Prize" ... hitting the word "winning" pretty hard.
Another horse-drawn carriage incident has rocked the Big Apple ... this time, a horse took off running, and a teen passenger fell out of the carriage and died, TMZ has learned.
The tragedy, which occurred Wednesday afternoon, was partially captured on video shared online that showed the horse dashing away with the 18-year-old male seated in the carriage in Central Park.
In the vid, the carriage clumsily jumps a sidewalk as the horse gallops away, causing the teen to topple to the ground. Police sources tell us the horse raced off after getting startled by something.
Jacob pressed Lummis ... for cryin' out loud, Musk is worth more than the GDP of many countries, but she stood firm. As for whether it's too much for one person to have, she wasn't buying what Jacob was selling.
The alleged killer of Anna Kepner is exactly where he should be -- behind bars -- so he can't hurt anyone anymore ... this according to Anna's family, who say they are now "at peace."
Anna's loved ones issued a statement to ABC News, saying it was painful to see 16-year-old Timothy Hudson out on bail for as long as he was after being charged with killing Kepner, his 18-year-old stepsister.
Recently, the judge in the case ruled that the evidence against Hudson is overwhelming and revoked his bond, sending him to jail.
Los Angeles' top cop is speaking out after outrage erupted over the fatal police shooting of a dog in Canoga Park ... with Chief Jim McDonnell promising a "full and comprehensive review."
In a newly released statement, McDonnell stressed there's "no incident more serious" than when an officer fires a service weapon ... adding, "The loss of a pet is deeply personal."
The chief said the probe will take time to ensure fairness, transparency and accountability, while adding that officers face unknown dangers daily but are still expected to exercise sound judgment, restraint and respect for life whenever possible.
Karen Bass isn't letting the LAPD off the hook for killing a cute, fluffy dog last during a Knicks NBA Finals celebration.
The Los Angeles mayor has ordered a probe into the LAPD officers who shot to death Jameson -- a mixed golden retriever, Saint Bernard and poodle -- after police responded to Saturday's distress call of a woman screaming at an apartment complex, the California Post reports.
In a statement to the outlet, Bass said ... "Every life lost to violence is a tragedy, and we know that the devastating loss of Jameson will be felt by his family forever."
Police shared a grim update in the search for missing South Carolina personal trainer, Elena Katherine Moore.
The Lexington Police Department held a press conference Wednesday, where they said they found a body wearing clothes matching the ones Elena was wearing.
LPD is still waiting on the coroner to confirm it's her. They say they're conducting a death investigation.
Some of Andy Bachman's neighbors are not happy with him ... and have been complaining on the news about the star-studded parties he's been throwing at his mansion ... but he says he's got more friends than enemies in his 'hood.
Here's the deal ... some anonymous neighbors are running to the media with allegations against the Creators Inc. CEO ... claiming he's disturbing the neighborhood by throwing massive mansion parties, which they say are full of half-naked women, drugs, and booze.
Some claim Andy's guests are filming OnlyFans content on the property.
The South Carolina personal trainer who vanished into the woods this week was acting "paranoid" and feared for her life ... at least according to a close friend.
Sondra Campbell -- who says she was a longtime pal of Elena Katherine Moore -- tells TMZ ... they were at brunch May 31 when Elena's behavior raised red flags.
We're told Elena was acting abnormally during the outing ... frequently getting up from her seat and looking around and out the window as if she was keeping an eye out for someone.
Sondra tells us she didn't say anything because she isn't close with the other girls, but at the end of the brunch, she says Elena opened up to her as they hugged goodbye. She claims Elena told her she was "scared for her life" due to unspecified issues and would fill her in at a later time.
The cause of death for the Central Park carriage horse that collapsed in front of horrified onlookers has officially been revealed ... and investigators say a toxic plant is to blame.
According to a report released Tuesday by the Transport Workers Union of America, the horse stopped during a ride near East 90th Street in Manhattan and ate part of a Japanese yew shrub ... an ornamental plant known to be highly toxic and often fatal to horses.
The union cited findings from the horse's necropsy report, arguing the death was not the result of mistreatment ... pushing back against renewed calls to ban carriage horses in New York City.
A Florida couple who gave birth through IVF were shocked to learn the baby isn't genetically theirs ... but they still want to be her mother and father ... and they've struck a deal with the biological parents.
Here's the deal ... Tiffany Score and Steven Mills are suing Fertility Center of Orlando for allegedly implanting the wrong embryo. Tiffany gave birth to Shea Score Mills, who doesn't look like her or Steven.
Tiffany and Steven have finally reached a custody agreement with their daughter's biological parents, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE ... six months after Tiffany gave birth. The filing says Tiffany and Steven retain their rights to continue as Shea's permanent custodial parents.
The person killed in the tragic Texas plane crash has been identified ... and he's even being honored by folks at the highest reaches of government.
Joshua Baer -- a prominent tech and finance mogul who has been called the godfather of Austin, Texas' startup scene -- died in Tuesday night's crash, according to multiple reports.
Joshua was the founder of Capital Factory ... a startup accelerator and investment group, which injected life into Texas' economy by bringing in and nurturing multiple businesses over the last two decades.
The Gilgo Beach serial killer, Rex Heuermann, will be spending the rest of his life behind bars.
The judge sentenced Heuermann to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Wednesday, calling him a "disgusting and despicable man," according to multiple reports.
The judge addressed Heuermann directly during sentencing, telling him straight up ... "You're a coward." According to PEOPLE, he then ordered the killer be removed from court, saying ... "Get him out of here."
