New York: U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi has directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, who stands accused of fatally shooting Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group’s insurance division, in New York last year.
Mangione’s legal team has not yet responded to requests for comment. He has pleaded not guilty to state charges in New York, which include murder as an act of terrorism and multiple weapons offenses. If convicted, he faces life in prison without parole, as New York does not impose the death penalty for state-level crimes.
In addition to the state charges, Mangione is also facing a federal indictment in Manhattan federal court related to Thompson’s killing. Unlike state law, federal law allows for capital punishment, and if convicted, Mangione could receive the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea in the federal case.
Thompson, the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed on December 4 outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel, where the company was hosting an investor conference.
“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,” Bondi, an appointee of Republican President Donald Trump, stated.
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“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,” she added.
Thompson’s killing and the subsequent five-day manhunt garnered nationwide attention. While public officials widely condemned the murder, some Americans critical of rising healthcare costs and the influence of insurance companies have portrayed Mangione as a folk hero.
