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.

The judge dismissed the murder charge that would have made the 27-year-old eligible for the death penalty in his federal case because it requires that the killing was 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 is a boon for Mangione and his attorneys, who had made several arguments to avoid the death penalty. And it’s sure to galvanize his many supporters, who see Mangione as an avatar for their resentment and anger towards the American health care system.

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.

The murder charge was the only count in any of the cases brought against Mangione that could have carried a possible death sentence. He will still face two counts of stalking in the federal case. If convicted, those counts have a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.

Mangione also 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 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.

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.”

Judge Margaret Garnett also ruled Friday to allow into Mangione’s trial evidence recovered from his backpack at the time of his arrest.

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 also said the evidence should be permitted since it would have inevitably been discovered legally during the course of the investigation.

Jury selection for the federal trial is scheduled to begin on September 8, with opening statements starting on October 13.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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