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In a significant development, a federal judge in Manhattan ruled on Friday that Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will not be subjected to the death penalty.
The ruling was delivered by Judge Margaret Garnett of the Federal District Court during a series of pretrial hearings, as reported by NBC News. Mangione is currently facing both state and federal charges, including second-degree murder and stalking.
Judge Garnett decided to dismiss several charges against Mangione, notably those related to murder through the use of firearms and a connected firearms offense, according to court documents.
Previously, as reported by CrimeOnline, prosecutors had sought the death penalty for Mangione following his arrest in connection with the murder of Thompson, which took place on December 4, 2024.
Authorities allege that Mangione shot Thompson in the back while the CEO was on his way to a UnitedHealth Group conference in Midtown Manhattan, an event of significant corporate importance.
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On December 9, 2024, police arrested Mangione in Pennsylvania.
According to FOX 2, the defense had requested suppression of evidence after investigators retrieved items from Mangione’s backpack. The defense claimed authorities searched the backpack without obtaining a warrant.
Authorities reportedly found a 9mm “ghost gun” inside the backpack, along with loaded magazines, a 3D-printed silencer, a notebook, and false identification.
The gun matched the same weapon that killed Thompson, investigators said. The notebook allegedly had information on how Mangione planned to “wack” an executive in the healthcare industry, Spectrum News reports.
Garnett ruled Friday that evidence seized in the backpack will be allowed.
“The search was reasonable under the facts of this case,” Garnett stated Friday.
NBC New York reports that opening statements are scheduled to begin in October. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: FILE – Luigi Mangione, accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appears in Manhattan state court in New York, Sept. 16, 2025. (Curtis Means/Pool Photo via AP, file)]