Luigi Mangione, suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO's killing, pleads NOT guilty to murder and terrorism charges
Luigi Mangione, charged with the murder of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson, has pleaded not guilty to New York state murder and terrorism charges.
FollowLuigi Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a crowded sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan, was escorted into a New York courtroom on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to state murder and terrorism charges.
Monday's hearing marked Mangione's first chance to formally respond to the accusations brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The 26-year-old faces 11 charges in New York, including first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and various weapon and forgery charges, according to the indictment.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office was quoted in a CNN report that it is working with federal authorities for Mangione's arraignment on the state charges.
Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, voiced concerns during the hearing about her client’s ability to receive a fair trial. She specifically pointed to the presence of Mayor Eric Adams last week, surrounded by dozens of heavily armed law enforcement officers, as he arrived in Lower Manhattan from Pennsylvania.
“He’s a young man and he’s being treated like a human pingpong ball by two warring jurisdictions here,” she said. “They’re treating him like a human spectacle.”
Judge Gregory Carro told Agnifilo her client’s trial will be fair, adding “we will carefully select a jury.” The next court date has been set for February 21.
A federal criminal complaint was unsealed on Thursday, charging Luigi Mangione with murder through the use of a firearm, two counts of stalking, and a firearms offense.
Federal and State charges: Death penalty and life in prison possible
If convicted of the federal murder charge, Mangione could face the death penalty, while the state charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Prosecutors have not yet indicated whether they will seek the death penalty, as the decision must be approved by the US Attorney General.
In addition to these charges, Mangione faces allegations in Pennsylvania related to a 3D-printed firearm and a false ID that were reportedly found in his possession when he was arrested. Both state and federal trials will proceed "in parallel," with the state trial scheduled to occur before the federal one, according to prosecutors.
The push for federal charges came from the US Attorney's office, with multiple law enforcement sources confirming that the FBI played a role in the investigation. FBI agents were tasked with drafting the federal complaint, based on evidence collected by NYPD detectives working on the state charges, along with police in Pennsylvania who arrested Mangione.
Federal prosecutors assert jurisdiction over the case due to Mangione’s "travel in interstate commerce"—specifically, his bus journey from Atlanta to New York prior to the shooting—and his alleged use of "interstate facilities," such as a cell phone and the internet, to plan and carry out the stalking, shooting, and killing of Thompson in broad daylight on a Manhattan sidewalk.
Mangione's notebook played key role in building federal case
Luigi Mangione was arrested on December 9 at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania after evading capture for several days following the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan. Thompson had been walking toward the hotel hosting the company’s annual investor conference when he was killed.
According to the federal criminal complaint, police discovered a black 3D-printed pistol with a loaded Glock magazine and a 3D-printed silencer in Mangione’s backpack. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that the firearm and suppressor were consistent with the weapon used in the murder, with the suppressor designed to muffle the sound of the gunshot.
The gun found in Mangione’s possession matched three shell casings recovered from the crime scene, which were marked with the words "deny," "defend," and "depose"—phrases similar to those used in criticism of the insurance industry. Mangione’s fingerprints were also found on items he had purchased shortly before the shooting, as seen in surveillance footage, and these items were discovered nearby after the homicide, according to police.
In addition, Mangione was carrying fake IDs and a three-page "claim" that expressed no specific threats but conveyed "ill will towards corporate America," according to the NYPD’s chief detective.
Investigators believe Mangione, a former high school valedictorian and Ivy League graduate from a wealthy family, was motivated by anger toward the health insurance industry and what he saw as "corporate greed." A report from the NYPD's intelligence division obtained by CNN suggested that Mangione viewed the killing of Thompson, as the company’s highest-ranking representative, as a symbolic act of defiance.
The murder has been described by some as an expression of growing public frustration with the health insurance sector. Authorities also found writings in a notebook that helped build the federal case against Mangione, revealing a carefully planned homicide. One entry, dated August 15, read, "the details are finally coming together." Mangione allegedly expressed that his procrastination had given him more time to learn about the company he intended to target, though the name of the company was redacted by prosecutors.
The notebook also reportedly contained several pages of handwritten material that showed hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives in particular.
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