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Luigi Mangione, aged 27, has formally entered a plea of not guilty to both federal and state murder charges, with the latter carrying the potential for a life sentence.
NEW YORK — In a significant ruling on Friday, a federal judge has blocked the possibility of imposing the death penalty on Luigi Mangione for the murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare. This decision thwarts the previous administration’s efforts to pursue an execution, labeling the act as a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.”
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed a federal murder charge against Mangione due to technical shortcomings, though she upheld stalking charges that could still result in a life sentence.
Mangione maintains his innocence, having pleaded not guilty to the murder charges at both the federal and state levels. The state charges remain severe, with life imprisonment still on the table.
Jury selection for the federal proceedings is slated to commence on September 8. Meanwhile, the state trial has yet to be scheduled. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has recently advocated for a trial date in the state case to be set for July 1, as communicated in a letter to the presiding judge.
Thompson, 50, was killed on Dec. 4, 2024, as he walked to a midtown Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind. Police say “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.
Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of Manhattan.
Following through on Trump’s campaign promise to vigorously pursue capital punishment, Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered Manhattan federal prosecutors last April to seek the death penalty against Mangione.
It was the first time the Justice Department was seeking to bring the death penalty in President Donald Trump’s second term. He returned to office a year ago with a vow to resume federal executions after they were halted under his predecessor, President Joe Biden.
Garnett, a Biden appointee, ruled after a flurry of court filings in the prosecution and defense in recent months. She held oral arguments on the matter earlier this month.
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