A federal judge has ruled that Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty for the alleged murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City in December 2024. The decision marks a setback for federal prosecutors, who had pushed to pursue the death penalty in this high-profile case.
Judge Margaret Garnett decided that the legal requirements for seeking the death penalty were not met, focusing on whether the underlying charge—murder through use of a firearm—qualified as a “crime of violence.” Prosecutors argued that stalking was the underlying crime, but defense attorneys stated that stalking does not always involve violence and therefore may not support a death penalty case under current federal law.
Thompson, a 50-year-old executive from Minnesota, was shot from behind while walking to an investor conference at a midtown Manhattan hotel. Surveillance footage and eyewitness accounts described the ambush as planned and politically motivated. Mangione was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after being recognized by staff and customers.
Judge Garnett also denied motions filed by the defense to suppress evidence collected from Mangione’s backpack at the time of his arrest, which allegedly included the suspected murder weapon and handwritten notes critical of the health insurance industry. That evidence will be allowed to presented during the trial.
Jury selection for Mangione’s federal trial is scheduled for September 8, with the trial itself likely to begin in October or January, depending on pending legal decisions. Meanwhile, Manhattan prosecutors have requested a July 1 start date for a separate state trial, though Mangione’s attorneys argue that this timeline is unrealistic due to the demands of preparing for the federal case.
Mangione remains in custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn as both state and federal cases move forward. The outcome of ongoing pretrial motions and the scheduling of the trials will determine the next steps in this closely watched legal process.
Recent Comments