Federal prosecutors have formally announced their intention to pursue the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of killing Brian Thompson, a top executive at UnitedHealth Group.
Mangione is expected to appear in Manhattan federal court on Friday for arraignment on federal murder and terrorism charges. He has already pleaded not guilty to separate charges under New York State law concerning the same crime.
Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth’s insurance division, was fatally shot on December 4 outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel, where the company was hosting an investor conference. The shocking daylight attack sparked a nationwide manhunt, ending five days later when Mangione was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Authorities say he was found in possession of a 9-millimeter pistol with a silencer, matching the weapon seen in surveillance footage, along with a notebook allegedly detailing plans to “wack” a health insurance CEO.
In a court filing submitted Thursday, prosecutors argued that Mangione poses a continued threat to society. “He expressed an intent to target an entire industry, and rally political and social opposition to that industry, by engaging in an act of lethal violence,” the filing stated.
The decision to seek the death penalty had been previously announced by US Attorney General Pam Bondi on April 1. However, Mangione’s legal team criticised the announcement, calling it “unapologetically political” and in violation of standard protocols for death penalty determinations. They have yet to comment on the latest filing.
If convicted on federal charges, a separate sentencing phase would allow a jury to decide—unanimously—whether Mangione should receive the death penalty. The judge would then be legally required to impose the sentence as determined by the jury.
The case has ignited a wave of public debate. While officials across the political spectrum have condemned the killing, a small segment of Americans has expressed support for Mangione, viewing the act as a protest against high healthcare costs and the power of insurers to deny treatment coverage.
Mangione is currently being held in a federal detention centre in Brooklyn, awaiting trial.
Melissa Enoch
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