On Friday, Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and federal stalking charges. The charges are connected to the killing of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare, back in December of 2024. Prosecutors have made it clear that they will seek the death penalty if Mangione is convicted. Mangione, 24, was arraigned in Manhattan, New York’s federal court. He was brought into court in ankle shackles, wearing a beige jail uniform and a gray t-shirt.
Supporters Protested Outside
Supporters of Luigi Mangione protested outside the courthouse. He faces federal charges of first-degree murder with a gun, two counts of stalking, and a weapons offense. In New York, Mangione pleaded not guilty to murder and terrorism charges. In Pennsylvania, he also pleaded not guilty to gun possession and other charges. His legal team has asked that capital punishment be taken off the table.
Death Penalty On The Table
Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a court filing about the death penalty that her “public statements have significantly prejudiced this case, the New York State case, and the federal grand jury presentation.” In 2004, New York outlawed the death penalty. There has not been an execution in the state for 70 years.
On Thursday, prosecutors filed a notice and made it clear that they would be seeking the death penalty for Mangione. In the filing, prosecutors noted that the nature of Thompson’s killing was “intentional.” To approve an execution, there will have to be a unanimous decision.
Prosecutors Say He Is A Future Danger
“Mangione presents a future danger because he expressed intent to target an entire industry and rally political and social opposition to that industry by engaging in an act of lethal violence,” the prosecutors wrote. “And he took steps to evade law enforcement, flee New York City immediately after the murder, and cross state lines while armed with a privately manufactured firearm and silencer.”
In early April, she stated that she would seek the death penalty for Mangione “as we carry out President Trump‘s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.” Back in February, she said that she had planned on lifting the moratorium on federal executions.
Luigi Mangione Pleaded Not Guilty
Luigi Mangione responded to all questions with only one-word answers before pleading not guilty. The next hearing was set for Dec. 5 by District Judge Margaret Garnett. A federal grand jury indicted Luigi Mangione on four charges last week.
Thompson Killed On Manhattan Street
Thompson was killed by a masked gunman as he walked to the Hilton Hotel located on West 54th Street and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan. Thompson was on his way to an annual investor conference.
Five days after Thompson’s death, Luigi Mangione was recognized while eating at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. According to authorities, bullet casings that were discovered at the scene of the murder match a gun that Mangione had in his possession. Authorities also found fingerprints on the wrapper of a protein bar and a water bottle discovered where the shooting took place.
Mangione was also in possession of a handwritten 262-page document that complained about the United States’ healthcare system. Before Thompson’s killing, Luigi Mangione had a clean criminal record.
