A federal judge has ruled that Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty if convicted of the alleged murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed two of the four federal charges against the 27-year-old, including the charge of murder through use of a firearm, which could have carried a potential death sentence.
Mangione was arrested shortly after allegedly shooting Thompson as he entered a conference on a busy Manhattan street in December 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include two remaining federal counts of stalking, along with separate state murder charges.
Jury selection for the federal trial is set to commence on September 8, with opening statements scheduled for October 13. Meanwhile, state prosecutors are aiming to proceed with their case against Mangione by July 1.
Judge Garnett specified that two federal charges did not meet the statutory definition of a 'crime of violence,' thereby eliminating the possibility of a death penalty. Her ruling was aimed solely at preventing the death penalty as a viable punishment for the jury to consider in Mangione's potential conviction.
Furthermore, evidence from Mangione's seized backpack, which was with him at the time of his arrest, will be admissible in court. Items found in the backpack included a ghost gun, fake IDs, and a notebook documenting Mangione's grievances with the health care system.
Defense attorneys argued against the inclusion of this evidence, contending it was obtained through an illegal search. Alongside the federal charges, Mangione faces nine charges pertaining to a separate case filed by New York state prosecutors, including second-degree murder.
