Federal judge bars death penalty for Luigi Mangione in UnitedHealthCare CEO killing
Manhattan U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed capital charges Friday, leaving stalking counts carrying a maximum life sentence.
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A federal judge on Friday ruled that prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old accused of killing UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett of Manhattan Federal Court dismissed two of the four federal criminal counts Mangione faced, including the capital-eligible murder charge. The judge found the dismissed counts were technically flawed.
The remaining two counts against Mangione carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. These charges relate to stalking allegations connected to Thompson's death on a midtown Manhattan street in December 2024.
The ruling represents a setback for federal prosecutors and the Trump administration, which had sought the death penalty in the case. The Justice Department had previously confirmed its intention to pursue capital punishment.
Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state charges in Thompson's killing. State charges also carry the possibility of life in prison.
During Friday's hearing, Judge Garnett also considered the admissibility of evidence seized during Mangione's arrest. According to authorities, police recovered a pistol, ammunition magazine, and a red notebook from a backpack Mangione was carrying on the day of the incident. Mangione's defense team had argued that these items should be excluded from trial, but the judge determined they would be admitted as evidence.
Jury selection in the federal case is scheduled to begin on September 8. State prosecutors have sought to try Mangione sooner, with a potential trial date as early as July 1.