'Make America Safe Again' AG Pamela Bondi directs prosecutors to seek death penalty for Luigi Mangione
DOJ to seek death penalty for Luigi Mangione
The U.S. Attorney General has issued a directive to prosecutors to seek the death penalty in the case of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who is accused of shooting and killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of a Manhattan hotel last December. This decision has raised questions about the rarity of such a move and its implications for the case.
MARYLAND - Attorney General Pamela Bondi directs prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione.
"Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America. After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again."
The backstory:
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed near W. 54th St. and 6th Avenue outside the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan around 6:45 a.m. on Dec. 4, 2024. Thompson was set to take part in the company's shareholder conference at the hotel.
Investigators quickly obtained video of the gunman firing shots from behind Thompson, striking him several times and authorities say the words "deny," "defend," and "depose" – a phrase critics use to describe insurance company tactics – were written on the ammo casings left behind at the scene.
At some point, he went to a nearby Starbucks and purchased a bottle of water and at least one energy bar before returning to the hotel. Police released photos of the suspect from the Starbucks and over the weekend, they also released a new batch of photos showing the masked gunman riding in a cab.
Luigi Mangione fans show support outside of NY courtroom
Luigi Mangione is facing terrorism charges in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Police said the shooting was premeditated and targeted. They believe the suspect rode a bicycle to the Hilton because it took him such a short time to get there, and that he also used a bike to get away from the scene after walking into Central Park. They say he later took a bus to leave the city.
On Monday, Dec. 9, authorities received a call from a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania – about 300 miles outside of New York City – where an employee saw Mangione eating and noticed similarities between him and the alleged gunman.
The tipster thought Mangione looked like the suspected gunman in photographs shared by police. He "had the same eyebrows," law enforcement sources said.
Local authorities responded to the restaurant and took him into custody. Police say he was in possession of a "ghost gun," a silencer, multiple fake IDs and writings that were apparently critical of the health insurance industry. Mangione has remained in police custody since.