Luigi Mangione expected in federal court: Here's the latest
Luigi Mangione expected in federal court
His lawyers are asking a judge to bar prosecutors from pursuing capital punishment, arguing that officials unfairly prejudiced the case through inflammatory public statements and a highly publicized arrest before he was even indicted.
NEW YORK - The accused killer of a health insurance executive is expected back in federal court Friday as he fights the government’s effort to seek the death penalty.
What we know:
Luigi Mangione is scheduled to appear in Manhattan federal court for a pivotal hearing in his case stemming from the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
His lawyers are asking a judge to bar prosecutors from pursuing capital punishment, arguing that officials unfairly prejudiced the case through inflammatory public statements and a highly publicized arrest before he was even indicted.
Luigi Mangione federal charges
Mangione’s federal charges include murder through use of a firearm, which carries the possibility of the death penalty. The state charges carry a maximum punishment of life in prison.
- Stalking, two counts
- Murder through use of a firearm, one count
- Using a firearm equipped with a silencer while committing a crime of violence, one count
Could Luigi Mangione get the death penalty?
Luigi Mangione, accused of the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is escorted by police as he arrives at court in New York City on September 16, 2025. Mangione is accused of shooting and killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson on De ( )
Dig deeper:
If that argument fails, the defense is urging the court to dismiss the federal charge that allows prosecutors to seek the death penalty — murder by firearm — claiming it is legally flawed.
Federal prosecutors dispute those claims, saying the charge is valid and that even intense pretrial publicity does not violate Mangione’s constitutional rights. They argue potential juror bias can be addressed during jury selection.
Luigi Mangione during a pretrial hearing at New York State Supreme Court in New York, US, on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025. Mangione faces state and federal charges in the killing nearly a year ago of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Photographer: Micha
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state murder charges, which carry the possibility of life in prison.
Friday’s hearing, his first federal court appearance since his April arraignment, is also expected to address whether certain evidence — including a gun and a notebook seized during his arrest — should be excluded. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett has said she also plans to set a trial date.
What's next:
Prosecutors maintain the search that uncovered the evidence was lawful and say the items would have been discovered regardless. Mangione’s lawyers are seeking a separate evidentiary hearing, similar to one held in his parallel state case.
The Source: This report is based on information from the Associated Press.