Luigi Mangione returns to court, prosecutors request death penalty
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NEW YORK CITY (PIX11) – Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is expected to plead not guilty when he appears before a judge this afternoon on federal charges.
Meanwhile, federal prosecutors have submitted notice they’re seeking the death penalty if Mangione is convicted. Mangione’s federal arraignment is in Manhattan at 1 p.m.
Prosecutors point to the premeditated nature of Mangione’s crime, saying the death penalty is warranted given that Mangione stalked Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, court records show. They argue Mangione is a further risk, and could continue to "rally political and social opposition" to the health insurance industry.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced in early April that the Justice Department would pursue the death penalty against Mangione, as President Donald Trump signed an executive order vowing he would resume federal executions.
Mangione’s defense attorneys have already called the decision to seek the death penalty a political stunt and barbaric.
Mangione, an Ivy League-educated 26-year-old from Maryland, is facing both federal and state murder charges. New York does not have the death penalty, but if he is found guilty on the state murder charges, he faces a maximum sentence of life without parole.
Mangione is accused of running from police and sending them on a multi-day manhunt.