U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year in New York City.
Mangione faces state murder and terrorism charges in New York, along with federal murder and stalking charges. The state charges are not eligible for the death penalty.
“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America. After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again,” Bondi said in a statement Tuesday.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state charges, but has not yet been arraigned on the federal charges.
Shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
Prosecutors say Mangione ambushed Thompson on Dec. 4 outside the Hilton Midtown hotel in Manhattan as Thompson walked to a UnitedHealthcare investors conference. The deadly shooting prompted a five-day manhunt, leading investigators from a hostel on the Upper West Side to a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania where Mangione was taken into custody.
Investigators said he was carrying a backpack that contained a gun matching the description of the murder weapon and a notebook with writings critical of the insurance industry.
Mangione was extradited back to New York City, where he remains in federal custody at Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn.
Last week, his defense team requested a laptop so he can review documents in the case. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office pushed back, saying Mangione has access to computers at MDC and that he’s received special treatment, like being able to change into different clothes for his court appearances. The DA’s office accused his attorneys of delivering heart-shaped notes inside a pair of socks before his last hearing.
Check back soon for the latest updates on this developing story.
