NEW YORK (AP) — On Friday, Luigi Mangione entered a not guilty plea to a federal murder charge in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The prosecution announced its intention to seek the death penalty, prompting U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett to remind Justice Department officials to avoid public comments that could jeopardize Mangione’s right to a fair trial.
Mangione, 26, was present at the Manhattan federal court where he leaned towards a tabletop microphone to plead. When asked whether he understood the indictment, which accuses him of fatally shooting Thompson outside a midtown hotel last December, he replied "yes." Upon being asked how he wished to plead, Mangione simply stated "not guilty."
The incident has stirred significant public interest, particularly among those who harbor grievances against the health insurance sector. Mangione’s federal arraignment attracted a notable turnout, including former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning. Some attendees queued for hours outside the courthouse, while others participated in demonstrations across the street, with advertising trucks broadcasting videos critical of the health insurance industry and the death penalty.
Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a notable Maryland real estate family, is also facing separate murder charges in both federal and state courts, where he could receive a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Initially, prosecutors expected the state case to go to trial first, but Mangione’s defense stated that they want the federal case, which includes the death penalty consideration, to take priority. Due to the complexity of capital cases, the federal proceedings are expected to progress at a slower rate than non-capital prosecutions.
His next appearance in federal court is scheduled for December 5, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of Thompson’s death. Mangione is due back in state court on June 26, but no specific trial dates have been established for either case.
Wearing a mustard-colored jail uniform during his court appearance, Mangione conversed with his lawyer, Avi Moskowitz. On the evening prior, federal prosecutors had officially filed a notice of intent to pursue the death penalty. This announcement followed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s earlier declarations regarding the case, describing the shooting as "an act of political violence" and a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America." This marks the first instance in which the Justice Department is pursuing capital punishment since President Donald Trump resumed federal executions.
Mangione’s legal team contends that Bondi’s statements, which she amplified through social media and television appearances, represent a "political stunt" that has violated established Justice Department protocols, compromised the grand jury process, and infringed upon Mangione's constitutional rights. Following Ms. Agnifilo's concerns, Judge Garnett instructed prosecutors to communicate to Bondi and other department officials regarding pretrial publicity rules that could interfere with the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
The federal indictment against Mangione includes a charge of murder with a firearm, which carries the potential for the death penalty, along with charges of stalking and a firearm offense. Surveillance footage is said to show a masked assailant shooting Thompson as he arrived for UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference. Investigators reported that the words "delay," "deny," and "depose" were scrawled on the ammunition, echoing a phrase indicative of how insurance companies can avoid paying claims.
The murder and the subsequent five-day manhunt for Mangione sent shockwaves through the business community while galvanizing critics of the health insurance industry, many of whom viewed him as a symbol of their frustrations over denied coverage and steep medical bills. Mangione was apprehended on December 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, approximately 230 miles west of New York City, before being transported to Manhattan by plane and helicopter.
Authorities reported that Mangione possessed a 9mm handgun matching the one used in the shooting, along with a notebook containing writings expressing hostility towards the health insurance sector and affluent executives. One entry, dated last August, reportedly noted "the target is insurance" as it aligns with other grievances against the industry, while another entry from October indicated intentions to "wack" an insurance CEO. It is noteworthy that UnitedHealthcare has stated that Mangione was never their client.
