Attorneys for Luigi Mangione, accused of killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York, are meeting federal prosecutors on Friday amid U.S. media reports of a possible plea agreement.
Mangione faces two federal stalking‑to‑death charges that carry a maximum life‑in‑prison sentence. It is not yet clear which of these charges is being discussed.
"There’s a conference scheduled for 11 a.m. on Friday, and that’s all we can say at this time," said Jamie McDonald, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Mangione also faces a separate state trial over Thompson’s death and has pleaded not guilty to all charges in both jurisdictions.
Discussion of a plea deal does not guarantee a final agreement, and such arrangements can break down before they are finalized. Plea deals must also receive court approval, typically followed by a separate hearing for the defendant to enter a new plea.
Federal prosecutors charged Mangione with stalking that crossed state lines and used electronic surveillance with the intent to kill or harm Thompson, ultimately leading to his death. A federal judge dismissed two other alleged crimes in January, including murder via firearms, which carried the death‑penalty possibility.
Mangione’s attorneys, the SDNY, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment. The attorneys have previously argued that simultaneous state and federal prosecutions are improper; however, both courts have allowed the trials to proceed.
If Mangione pleads guilty in the federal case, it could allow his attorneys to argue that the state case violates double jeopardy, the constitutional protection against being prosecuted twice for the same offense. New York’s state constitution also contains a double‑jeopardy provision, which could affect the state trial if invoked.
"If a federal prosecution has been completed on a matter, the state cannot prosecute the matter on those same facts," said Mitchell Epner, a white‑collar attorney.
The outcome on the state case remains uncertain. State trial judge Mark Chutkow, a white‑collar defense lawyer at the Dkyema law firm, noted that the state judge would have to decide whether the charges overlap ambiguously enough to trigger New York’s double‑jeopardy statute, while Manhattan prosecutors might argue the case is distinct enough to continue.
Mangione’s state trial is scheduled to begin on September 8, while the federal trial is set for January 2027.
