U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Tuesday that federal prosecutors have been directed to pursue the d**th penalty against Luigi Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a New York City hotel on Dec. 4. Mangione, 26, faces both federal and state murder charges.
The federal case includes charges of murder with a firearm, which could result in the d**th penalty, while the state charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. Prosecutors stated that both cases will proceed separately, with the state trial expected first, though it remains unclear if Bondi’s announcement will alter the trial order.
In a statement, Bondi described the killing as a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America” and emphasized the decision to seek the d**th penalty as part of efforts to combat violent crime. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state charges and has not yet entered a plea in the federal case.
President Donald Trump, who resumed federal executions after taking office in January, signed an executive order mandating the Justice Department to seek the death penalty in applicable cases. This reversed a moratorium implemented by his predecessor, Joe Biden.
Thompson, 50, was attacked and shot while walking to an investor conference in midtown Manhattan. Mangione was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where police found him carrying a firearm linked to the crime, a fake ID, and a notebook containing anti-insurance industry sentiments. Authorities said the notebook included entries from August and October 2024 expressing hostility toward insurance executives and indicating a planned attack. UnitedHealthcare confirmed that Mangione was never a client.
