On Friday, Luigi Mangione entered a not guilty plea to a federal murder charge regarding the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. This plea comes as federal prosecutors have officially announced their intention to seek the death penalty. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett cautioned the Justice Department against making public comments that could jeopardize the integrity of the case.
The 26-year-old Mangione stood alongside his legal team, leaning toward a microphone on the defense table as Judge Garnett inquired if he understood the indictment. The indictment charges him with stalking and the shooting of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel last December. Mangione responded affirmatively, stating “yes” when asked if he understood the charges, and simply replied “not guilty” when asked how he wished to plead.
The arraignment attracted significant public attention, with several dozen attendees, including former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, who is known for her conviction related to the theft of classified documents. Mangione, who has been held in a federal jail in Brooklyn since his arrest, appeared in court wearing a mustard-colored jail suit, conversing with his attorney, Avi Moskowitz, as they awaited the proceedings.
On Thursday, federal prosecutors filed a notice indicating their intent to pursue the death penalty, which complicates the legal process. Due to the intricate legal issues associated with capital cases, Mangione’s trial is expected to progress at a slower pace compared to non-death penalty cases. He is scheduled to return to federal court on December 5, coinciding closely with the one-year anniversary of Thompson’s death. As of now, no trial date has been established for either the federal or the parallel state murder case.
This case has garnered political attention, especially following U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's announcement about seeking the death penalty for what she characterized as "an act of political violence" and a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America." This marks the first instance where the Justice Department is pursuing capital punishment since President Donald Trump resumed federal executions after they were paused under the previous administration.
Mangione's defense team has criticized Bondi's announcement, alleging it was a “political stunt” that undermined established protocols within the Justice Department, tainted the grand jury process, and violated his constitutional right to due process. After the defense raised these concerns again during the recent hearing, Judge Garnett instructed Manhattan federal prosecutors to communicate to Bondi and other Justice Department officials that court rules prohibit any pretrial publicity that might interfere with a defendant's right to a fair trial.
Mangione's federal indictment includes charges of murder through the use of a firearm, which carries the potential for the death penalty. The indictment also reflects a criminal complaint from his arrest and includes charges of stalking and a gun offense. An Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, Mangione is facing both federal and state murder charges, stemming from the incident where he allegedly shot Thompson, aged 50, outside the New York Hilton Midtown on December 4. This shooting occurred as Thompson arrived for UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference.
Surveillance footage documented the attack, showing a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind. Investigators noted that the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” were etched onto the ammunition, echoing terminology commonly associated with tactics used by insurers to avoid claim payments. The shocking nature of the killing and the subsequent five-day manhunt for Mangione sparked fear within the business community, prompting some health insurers to remove images of executives from their websites and to transition to online shareholder meetings.
While the state murder charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, prosecutors have indicated that the two cases will progress on parallel tracks. The state case is likely to reach trial first; however, Mangione’s attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo has stated that the defense team will seek for the federal case to take precedence due to its implications involving the death penalty.
Following his arrest on December 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, approximately 230 miles west of New York City, Mangione was swiftly transported to Manhattan via plane and helicopter. Police discovered a 9mm handgun in his possession that corresponded with the weapon used in the shooting, alongside a notebook that allegedly contained hostile sentiments towards the health insurance sector and affluent executives. Among the entries, one noted from August 2024 declared, “the target is insurance” because “it checks every box,” while another from October expressed a desire to “wack” an insurance company CEO. UnitedHealthcare, the largest health insurer in the U.S., has stated that Mangione was never a client.
