A federal grand jury has indicted 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealth Group executive Brian Thompson in New York last December, escalating the legal stakes and paving the way for a potential death penalty prosecution.
Though Mangione already faces state murder and weapons charges in New York—where the death penalty is outlawed—the federal indictment allows prosecutors to seek capital punishment. The indictment, made public on Thursday, does not introduce new charges but includes counts of murder, stalking, and firearms violations. A hearing is set to take place on Friday at the Manhattan federal court.
Mangione, who has pleaded not guilty to state charges, has petitioned the court to block the federal government’s intention to pursue the death penalty. His legal team argues that the April 1 announcement by US Attorney General Pam Bondi was politically motivated and breached established federal protocols regarding such decisions.
If Mangione is convicted in the federal trial, the case would proceed to a penalty phase, during which a jury must unanimously decide whether to impose the death sentence.
Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealth’s insurance division, was gunned down on December 4 outside a Manhattan hotel, where UnitedHealth was hosting an investor conference. The shocking daylight shooting triggered a nationwide manhunt that lasted five days and captured public attention.
While the murder was broadly condemned by officials, some public voices controversially expressed support for Mangione, framing the act as a protest against the high cost of US healthcare and insurance practices. Nevertheless, Mangione remains in federal custody at a Brooklyn detention facility as his case moves forward.
Melissa Enoch
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