Luigi Mangione entered a not guilty plea in a federal courthouse on Friday to a charge of murdering health insurance executive Brian Thompson, as US prosecutors made official their plan to seek the death penalty.
In a crowded courtroom session in lower Manhattan, Mangione, 26, pleaded “Not guilty” when questioned for his plea by US District Judge Margaret Garnett. The defendant, clad in a tan jail-issued shirt, is also indicted on individual New York state charges connected to the December 4 shooting of Thompson, former CEO of UnitedHealthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group.
Earlier this month, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that the Justice Department would seek capital punishment. That decision was formalized in a Thursday night filing by the Manhattan US Attorney’s Office. Mangione’s defense team has criticized Bondi’s announcement, calling it politically motivated and in violation of protocol regarding death penalty decisions.
Judge Garnett gave the defense until June 27 to prepare a legal brief that would oppose pursuing the death penalty. The court hearing is set for December 5, with a possible trial pending in some time next year.
Garnett also warned both sides’ attorneys from issuing public statements that could undermine Mangione’s right to a fair trial. She requested her warning be forwarded to federal prosecutor Jay Clayton and Attorney General Bondi.
Thompson was gunned down outside a midtown Manhattan hotel in the midst of a company investor conference, leading to a five-day nationwide search. Shell casings that investigators found at the scene had the words “deny,” “delay,” and “depose” written on them, words frequently associated with complaints about health insurance companies.
While widely condemned, some members of the public have applauded Mangione for bringing to light the shortcomings of the American healthcare system. Prosecutors contend that his actions constitute an ongoing threat because of his professed desire to attack the healthcare sector.
