Secrets of Luigi Mangione’s star defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo who left lawyer ‘slack-jawed’ with her skills

She may have limited experience with criminal defense in a courtroom, but Luigi Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, is still considered a “heavyweight” by those who know her.

The former Chief Assistant District Attorney of Manhattan has been selected by Mangione to represent him during his trial in New York for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

It means Agnifilo, 58, will take on her former colleagues and the office she used to oversee.

“She will be able to predict what prosecutors will do before they do it,” attorney Danya Perry told the newspaper Wall Street Journal.

Perry has worked with Agnifilo in private practice and co-hosts with her on the “MissTrial” podcast.

Agnifilo also co-hosts the “Legal AF” podcast along with attorney Michael Popok, who described her dedication to her work.

“Whatever she’s going to do, she wants to do it the best she can, within her capabilities,” Popok said. ‘We look at the viewing figures, what our opinion was. Is it something we did wrong? Can we improve?’

Others who have worked with Agnifilo described her ability to be “gently persuasive.”

She is defending Mangione, 26, against allegations that he killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York earlier this month.

Famed defense attorney Mark Geragos said he was left “loose-jawed” by her persuasiveness.

Geragos described how she talked the father of an accused murderer out of the poor legal defense he encouraged her team to pursue.

“She had put herself in the father’s shoes so much that she understood exactly why he was advocating for something that everyone else in the room thought was counterproductive,” Geragos said.

“She led him to that conclusion without giving in or hitting him over the head. I had a slack jaw.”

Bonnie Sard, who worked with Agnifilo as an administrator in the district attorney’s office, supported Geragos’ position.

“You go to lunch with Karen and think, ‘I don’t want to share a burger and fries,’” she said.

‘And before you know it, you’re sharing a burger and fries.’

Sard added that Agnifilo does not shy away from the rougher aspects of the job.

Agnifilo is the former Chief Assistant District Attorney of Manhattan, but has minimal courtroom experience in criminal defense

“She was not at all afraid to get her hands dirty and get in the trenches with her colleagues, even when they were solving a challenging issue in the middle of the night,” Sard explained.

Agnifilo will encounter the same colleagues as she prepares to defend Mangione.

“It’s a heavyweight match,” said former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance.

Since leaving office, Agnifilo has diversified her professional experience with her podcasts, work as a consultant on TV’s Law and Order and through the creation of a specialized mental health court for eligible defendants.

Although Mangione, 26, has yet to plead or offer any defense to the charges, it is believed that long-term back pain may have caused him to distance himself from friends and family.

Agnifilo has a close family member who struggles with mental health, which could be invaluable when it comes to understanding her client’s emotional state.

She will also reportedly be joined by her high-profile husband, attorney Marc Agnifilo, who is representing Sean “Diddy” Combs in his federal sex trafficking case.

The couple drove to Mangione in prison in Pennsylvania earlier this week.

She is married to attorney Marc Agnifilo, who represents Diddy in his sex trafficking case

Mangione has been charged with the murder of CEO Brian Thompson

On Thursday, Mangione was extradited back to New York to face charges in federal court in Manhattan.

According to the unsealed complaint, the suspect is charged with murder, stalking and possession of a weapon.

Demonic fans had gathered outside the Pennsylvania prison where he was being held armed with cards and gifts.

The outpouring of support could be a major stumbling block in his trial as it would make jury selection extremely difficult, a lawyer has warned.

Former prosecutor Neama Rahmani has said the alleged killer’s fan base could delay his criminal trial as officials may struggle to select 12 impartial jurors.