Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty in federal court as prosecutors pursue death penalty

Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty on Friday to federal charges accusing him of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December, one day after prosecutors gave official notice of their intent to seek the death penalty.

During the April 25 arraignment before Judge Margaret Garnett in Manhattan federal court, Mangione had a calm demeanor as he was escorted into the courtroom wearing a tan prison jumpsuit.

The 26-year-old entered a plea of not guilty to the charges of murder with a firearm, two stalking offenses – one involving interstate travel and another involving the use of electronic communications – and a firearms offense for using and discharging a gun equipped with a silencer.

His arraignment comes just one day after federal prosecutors submitted a formal notice outlining their intent to seek the death penalty against Mangione should he be convicted of Thompson’s shocking murder on Dec. 4, 2024, which occurred as Thompson walked to an investors’ meeting near West 52nd St.

Mangione is due to appear in federal court again on Dec. 5, while Judge Garnett said his trial will likely get underway in early 2026.

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Death penalty

Outside the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse on Friday, a crowd of supporters gathered in defense of Mangione, many holding signs calling for his release and criticizing the prosecution’s pursuit of the death penalty. The demonstration stood in stark contrast to a provocative art installation placed across the street from the courthouse by conservative Staten Island artist Scott LoBaido. The piece, which depicted the Nintendo character Luigi strapped to an electric chair, was intended as a pro-capital punishment statement.

Inside courtroom 110, Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, asked Judge Garnett that the Maryland resident’s federal case proceed before his state murder trial gets underway, noting the Justice Department’s directive to seek the death penalty if Mangione is convicted of murder through the use of a firearm.

Judge Garnett replied that they will proceed with the scheduling in the federal case “as if this is the only case,” and told Mangione’s legal team they had until June 27 to file their motion outlining why capital punishment should not be pursued.

Prosecutors allege Mangione, wearing a mask, approached Thompson from behind and shot him in the back. Thompson later died at a nearby hospital. Mangione was arrested five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in connection with the murder. Mangione was arraigned on state and federal charges later that month.

He previously pleaded not guilty to state charges. If convicted on the top count in that case, he would face life imprisonment.

In a notice filed Thursday, federal prosecutors claim the murder was premeditated and meant “to amplify an ideological message” and incite opposition to the health insurance industry. They claim Mangione traveled to New York in late November 2024 with plans to stalk and kill Thompson using a homemade, silenced firearm

Making the case for capital punishment, prosecutors cited statutory and non-statutory aggravating factors, including the risk to others, the impact on Thompson’s family and colleagues, and future dangerousness “because he expressed intent to target an entire industry, and rally political and social opposition to that industry, by engaging in an act of lethal violence.”

“And he took steps to evade law enforcement, flee New York City immediately after the murder, and cross state lines while armed with a privately manufactured firearm and silencer,” the notice reads.

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Friedman Agnifilo also told Judge Garnett she had been informed that one phone call between her and Mangione had reportedly been listened to by state court prosecutors.

Judge Garnett requested an update from federal prosecutors on the matter within the next week, asking that Mangione be reserved the right to a secure line, and to ensure recordings of the calls are not being given to the prosecution.

Lead prosecutor in the case, Dominic Gentile, told Judge Garnett he would look into the matter but that it was the first time hearing it.

Gentile told the court that the prosecution is in possession of 1 terabyte of data in relation to the case, with Judge Garnett giving the prosecution a May 27 deadline to share the files with Mangione’s defense team.

Gentile said the largest trench of data in their possession came from the Manhattan DA, and noted that the prosecution is still waiting on materials from the defense relating to electronic devices.

Before bringing the hearing to a close, Judge Garnett reminded both the defense and prosecution about making public commentary on the case, and asked that prosecutors relay that message to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Updated at 3:50 p.m. on April 25.

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell

Photo by Lloyd Mitchell