Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty if convicted of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a federal judge has ruled.
US District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed two of the four federal charges against the 27-year-old, including murder through the use of a firearm, which carried the potential death sentence.
Mangione was arrested days after he allegedly shot Thompson as he was walking into a conference on a busy Manhattan street in December 2024.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, including the two remaining federal counts of stalking and separate state murder charges. Jury selection in the federal trial is slated to begin on September 8, with opening statements starting on October 13.
State prosecutors are seeking to try Mangione as soon as July 1.
In her ruling, Judge Garnett stated that two of the four federal charges did not meet the federal statutory definition of a 'crime of violence' as a matter of law. She emphasized that her decision was aimed solely at removing the death penalty as a potential punishment that the jury could consider.
Garnett also noted that evidence from Mangione's seized backpack—worn at the time of his arrest—would be admissible in court. Items found in the backpack included a ghost gun, fake IDs, and a notebook detailing Mangione's grievances with the healthcare system. The defense had sought to have this evidence dismissed, claiming that it was obtained through an illegal search.
Mangione is additionally facing nine charges in a separate case initiated by New York state prosecutors, including second-degree murder.
