Luigi Mangione has been indicted on a federal murder charge for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, following the Trump administration’s directive to pursue the death penalty. Prosecutors describe the incident as a premeditated assassination that stunned the nation. A federal grand jury in Manhattan returned the indictment, which includes charges of murder through the use of a firearm, potentially leading to the death penalty. The indictment aligns with a prior criminal complaint made after Mangione’s arrest the previous December, also accusing him of stalking and a firearms offense.
Legal representatives for Mangione have contended that the directive from U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek the death penalty is a politically motivated act that compromised the grand jury process and infringed on Mangione’s constitutional rights. Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League alumnus from a notable Maryland real estate family, also faces separate federal and state murder charges. He is accused of fatally shooting Thompson, aged 50, outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4 as the executive approached UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference. Surveillance footage reportedly captured a masked assailant shooting Thompson from behind. Authorities noted that words such as “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” were inscribed on the ammunition, mimicking language often associated with insurers’ tactics to avoid claim payments.
The incident, coupled with a five-day police pursuit leading to Mangione’s arrest, caused significant concern in the business community, prompting some health insurers to remove executives’ photos from websites and shift to virtual shareholder meetings. Conversely, some critics of the health insurance industry have expressed support for Mangione, viewing him as a symbol of backlash against coverage denials and escalating medical costs.
The federal indictment was filed just before a deadline, with an arraignment in federal court in Manhattan pending. Mangione’s defense team has yet to comment. Meanwhile, Bondi announced the intention to seek the death penalty on April 1, marking a return to federal executions under President Donald Trump, who resumed them after their suspension by the previous administration. Bondi described the killing as politically motivated violence.
However, Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, argued that the decision to pursue the death penalty is a political maneuver. She has called to prevent prosecutors from seeking such a sentence, arguing that Bondi’s public statements violated Justice Department protocols and skewed the grand jury process leading to the indictment. Mangione remains detained at a federal facility in Brooklyn, with state charges potentially leading to a life sentence. The federal and state cases are anticipated to progress concurrently, with the state trial expected first, though the recent indictment may affect the timeline.
Mangione was apprehended on December 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, approximately 230 miles from New York City. Authorities claimed he possessed a 9mm handgun matching the weapon used in the crime and other items, including a notebook expressing animosity toward the health insurance sector and affluent executives. Prosecutors cited entries from August 2024 targeting the insurance industry due to its comprehensive reach, and another from October indicating plans to target an insurance CEO. UnitedHealthcare confirmed that Mangione was never a client.
Friedman Agnifilo plans to challenge certain pieces of evidence gathered in the case.