Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty, federal judge rules
By Kara Scannell, Nicki Brown, CNN
New York (CNN) — Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, a federal district judge ruled Friday, dealing a blow to US prosecutors who were adamant about pursuing the ultimate sentence.
US District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed the murder charge in Mangione’s federal indictment, which was the only count in any of the cases brought against him that could have carried a possible death sentence. He still faces two counts of stalking – which carry a maximum possible sentence of life in prison without parole – in the federal case.
Garnett based her decision on an interpretation of the law which requires that the killing be committed during another “crime of violence.”
Prosecutors alleged the other crimes of violence were represented by two stalking charges, arguing Mangione stalked Thompson online and travelled across state lines to carry out the killing.
The judge disagreed, finding the stalking charges did not amount to “crimes of violence” and dismissed two counts in Mangione’s federal case – the murder charge and a related firearm offense.
“The analysis contained in the balance of this Opinion may strike the average person – and indeed many lawyers and judges – as tortured and strange, and the result may seem contrary to our intuitions about the criminal law,” Judge Margaret Garnett wrote in her ruling. “But it represents the Court’s committed effort to faithfully apply the dictates of the Supreme Court to the charges in this case.”
The ruling was one of two Garnett issued Friday: She also decided to allow key evidence recovered from Mangione’s backpack at the time of his arrest to be presented at trial over objections by the defense.
Still, the ruling on the death penalty is a boon for Mangione and his attorneys, who had made several arguments to avoid a capital sentence. And it’s sure to galvanize the 27-year-old’s many supporters, who see Mangione as an avatar for their resentment and anger towards the American health care system.
“We’re all very relieved,” Karen Friedman Agnifilo, one of Mangione’s attorneys, told reporters Friday when asked about her client’s reaction to the news.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced she had directed the Justice Department to pursue the death penalty in April 2025, calling the killing “a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.”
In court Friday, an assistant US attorney indicated he did not yet know whether the Justice Department would appeal the judge’s ruling on the death penalty. Judge Garnett asked for an update by February 27.
Garnett denied as moot the defense’s other motions regarding the death penalty. She said the only motion that may still be relevant in a non-capital case is regarding pre-trial publicity. She suggested the defense “table that for now” until prosecutors make a decision on appealing, and then they can renew that motion with a new brief at a later time.
Mangione still faces murder charge in state court
Mangione still faces a second-degree murder count and other charges in a separate case in New York state, where the death penalty is unconstitutional. If convicted of the highest charges in the state case, Mangione could face a sentence of 25 years to life.
Mangione’s defense team has found similar success capitalizing on legal nuances in that case. Last fall, the judge in his New York state case dismissed the top two charges in that indictment, which were two terror-related murder charges.
The state judge found that “there was no evidence presented of a desire to terrorize the public, inspire widespread fear, engage in a broader campaign of violence, or to conspire with organized terrorist groups,” which was required by the statutes governing those charges.
Mangione also faces counts related to his arrest in a state case in Pennsylvania that are not death penalty eligible. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Mangione’s notebook and other backpack evidence will be allowed
Judge Margaret Garnett also ruled Friday to allow into Mangione’s federal trial evidence recovered from his backpack at the time of his arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, five days after Thompson’s killing.
Law enforcement seized several items from Mangione’s backpack, including a handgun, a loaded magazine and a red notebook – key pieces of evidence that authorities have said tie him to the killing.
The recovered gun is consistent with the firearm used to kill Thompson, federal authorities said in court filings. Some of the handwritten entries in the notebook “express hostility towards the health insurance industry and wealthy executives in particular,” they wrote.
Mangione’s attorneys had argued for the evidence to be barred from trial, contending the search of their client’s backpack was illegal because they had not yet obtained a warrant and there was no immediate threat to justify a warrantless search.
Federal prosecutors have argued in court filings that officials had a right to go through Mangione’s possessions as part of routine arrest procedures and to search for any weapons that could be a safety threat. Prosecutors have said the evidence should be permitted since it would have inevitably been discovered legally during the course of the investigation.
Mangione’s defense team is trying to get the same evidence thrown out of his case in New York state court. In December, several witnesses testified during a days-long hearing over the disputed evidence. The judge in that case is expected to issue a ruling in May.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office is trying to convince the state judge to set their trial for July. Mangione’s attorney said they’ll need the time to prepare for the federal trial, which is scheduled to begin with jury selection on September 8, followed by opening statements on October 13.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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