> At a Glance
> – Luigi Mangione’s lawyers asked a federal judge to drop half the counts, including a death-penalty-eligible stalking charge
> – Defense says prosecutors used “flawed legal arguments”; government insists the stalking carried violent intent
> – Ruling on capital punishment and trial timing expected later; jury selection could start as early as September
> – Why it matters: The decision will determine whether Mangione faces the death penalty and how quickly the high-profile case heads to trial
Luigi Mangione, 27, returned to federal court Friday as his legal team pressed to strip away two of the four federal indictments tied to the Dec. 4 shooting of Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare gunned down on a Midtown Manhattan sidewalk.
The Charges Under Fire
Mangione was indicted on:
- One count of murder by use of a firearm
- Two separate stalking charges (interstate stalking resulting in death; stalking through interstate facilities resulting in death)
- One count of firing a silencer-equipped gun during a violent crime
Prosecutors lean on the stalking counts to make the homicide death-penalty-eligible under federal law. Defense attorney Paresh Patel told U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett the underlying conduct lacks the violent intent the statute requires.
> “The stalking in this case was not inherently violent,” Patel argued.
Federal prosecutors countered that traveling across state lines to track and ultimately kill Thompson satisfies the violent-intent standard.
What Happens Next
Judge Garnett will rule later on whether the death penalty can stay on the table. Key upcoming dates:
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Next pretrial conference | Jan. 30 |
| Possible jury selection (if no capital charges) | September 2025 |
| Likely trial start (if death penalty allowed) | 2026 |
The court denied Mangione’s request for an evidentiary hearing for now but left room to reconsider.
Arrest & Evidence
- Arrest location: McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, 200-plus miles from the shooting
- Items seized: loaded pistol, silencer, and an alleged anti-health-care manifesto
- Defense claim: warrantless search violated Mangione’s rights
Key Takeaways
- Two federal stalking counts-crucial for death-penalty eligibility-face potential dismissal
- Mangione is also fighting state-level terrorism murder charges; those were already dropped
- If the capital charge is tossed, jury selection could begin in September; otherwise, trial is pushed to 2026
A ruling on the contested charges will shape both the severity of punishment Mangione could face and how soon the case lands in front of a jury.
