Judge Bars Death Penalty Against Luigi Mangione in UnitedHealthcare CEO Killing
A federal judge has ruled that prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione in the killing of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, dismissing the federal murder charge that made capital punishment legally available under federal law.
In a written decision issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett found that the charge failed to meet the statutory requirements Congress has imposed for federal death penalty cases. The ruling removes execution as a possible punishment while allowing the prosecution to move forward on other counts.
Judge Garnett dismissed the federal murder count that had enabled prosecutors to pursue capital punishment, along with a related firearm offense. She left in place two federal stalking charges, each of which carries a potential sentence of life in prison. Prosecutors said they are prepared to proceed to trial and were given time to decide whether to appeal the ruling barring the death penalty.
The dismissed murder charge turned on a narrow but decisive feature of federal law. Unlike many state systems, federal prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty based on a homicide alone. To pursue capital punishment, the government must also show that the killing occurred while the accused was committing another qualifying “crime of violence” as defined by statute.
Prosecutors argued that Mangione met that requirement because he allegedly stalked Thompson online and traveled across state lines before the shooting. The judge rejected that theory. Judge Garnett concluded that the stalking offenses charged in the indictment do not qualify as “crimes of violence” under federal law and therefore cannot serve as the legal foundation for a death-eligible murder charge.
Federal courts apply a strict approach when interpreting the phrase “crime of violence.” Judges examine the legal elements of an offense as written, rather than the surrounding facts or the perceived severity of the conduct. If a statute does not require the use of force or a direct threat of force as an element, it cannot be used to trigger capital punishment. Judge Garnett ruled that the stalking counts in this case fall outside that definition, even if the alleged conduct ultimately led to lethal violence.
In her opinion, Judge Garnett acknowledged that the outcome may appear counterintuitive. She wrote that the analysis could strike many people, including lawyers and judges, as strained or unnatural. Still, she emphasized that courts are bound to apply Supreme Court precedent and congressional statutes as written, even when the result conflicts with public expectations. The limits placed on capital punishment, she said, are matters of law rather than discretion.
The ruling curtails a directive issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who last year instructed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to seek the death penalty. Bondi described Thompson’s killing as a premeditated assassination and said the case warranted the most severe punishment available under federal law, according to public statements cited in court filings.
Thompson, 50, was killed on Dec. 4, 2024, as he walked to a midtown Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. Surveillance footage showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind. Authorities have said words commonly used to criticize insurance claim practices were written on ammunition recovered at the scene.
Mangione, 27, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His lawyers sought dismissal of the death-eligible charge on multiple grounds, including claims that public statements by federal officials violated Justice Department protocols and tainted the grand jury process. Prosecutors countered that pretrial publicity alone does not amount to a constitutional violation and that potential juror bias can be addressed during jury selection.
In a separate ruling issued the same day, Judge Garnett allowed prosecutors to use evidence seized from Mangione’s backpack at the time of his arrest. The items include a handgun, ammunition, and a notebook that authorities say contains handwritten statements expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives. Defense attorneys argued the search was unlawful because officers had not yet obtained a warrant. Judge Garnett disagreed, finding that routine arrest procedures and safety concerns justified the search and that the evidence would have been discovered during the normal course of the investigation.
Prosecutors said they are prepared to move forward with the federal case despite the loss of the death penalty option. Judge Garnett gave the government time to decide whether it will appeal the ruling dismissing the death-eligible charge.
Jury selection in the federal case is scheduled to begin on Sept. 8, followed by opening statements and testimony starting Oct. 13.
Mangione also faces a separate murder prosecution in New York state, where the death penalty is unconstitutional. Court filings indicate that if he is convicted of the most serious charge in that case, he could be sentenced to 25 years to life. A trial date in the state case has not yet been set.
