Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel earlier this month. On Thursday, Mangione was hit with federal charges, including murder, stalking, and weapons offenses, adding to the state charges he already faces.
Mangione, 26, appeared in court in Lower Manhattan for a brief hearing. Judge Katharine Parker read out the federal charges against him, which had been revealed earlier that day. Mangione had been brought to New York from Pennsylvania for the hearing. The judge ruled that he would remain in custody until his next court appearance in mid-January and would not be granted bail.
Federal prosecutors allege that Mangione traveled to New York City by bus and waited outside the hotel where Thompson was staying for an investor conference. According to the charges, Mangione shot Thompson with an untraceable firearm and fled back to Pennsylvania.
If convicted on the federal charges, Mangione could face the death penalty. The charges include one count of using a firearm to commit murder, which carries a possible sentence of death or life in prison. He also faces charges for interstate stalking resulting in death and stalking through interstate facilities, both of which carry a life sentence. Additionally, he is charged with discharging a firearm equipped with a silencer to commit a violent crime, which could result in a sentence of 30 years to life in prison.
In addition to the federal charges, Mangione is facing 11 counts in state court in New York. A Manhattan grand jury recently indicted him for murder as an act of terrorism, criminal possession of a weapon, and several other charges. Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania five days after the shooting at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg called Thompson’s death a “frightening, well-planned, targeted murder” that was meant to shock and intimidate. Investigators found shell casings at the crime scene with words like “deny,” “delay,” and “depose” written on them, which police believe may point to a motive related to the health insurance industry.
Mangione waived his right to contest being sent to New York for the hearing and arrived by NYPD helicopter. After the court session, Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Kim said Mangione allegedly killed Thompson in an attempt to broadcast his views against the healthcare industry.
Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, reserved comment on the federal charges but expressed surprise in court. She argued that adding federal charges on top of the state charges could raise legal concerns about double jeopardy, a principle that prevents someone from being tried for the same crime twice. Agnifilo’s legal team has vowed to fight the charges in court.
The federal charging document also revealed new details about Mangione’s state of mind before the killing. FBI investigators found a notebook in Mangione’s possession that contained handwritten entries showing his hostility toward the health insurance industry and its executives. One entry, dated August 15, 2024, described how Mangione felt the “details are finally coming together” regarding his plan. Another entry, written on October 22, mentioned the upcoming investor conference where Thompson would be present, describing it as a “true windfall” and stating his intention to target a CEO at the event.
The notebook entries suggest, prosecutors say, that Mangione had been planning the attack for months, and that the killing was part of a broader, premeditated plot to send a message against the insurance industry. The shooting has sparked significant controversy, with some individuals even expressing support for Mangione’s actions on social media. Outside the Manhattan courthouse on Thursday, a small group of protesters were seen holding signs in support of Mangione.
