In a significant legal development, a federal court has eliminated capital punishment as a potential sentence for Luigi Mangione, the accused murderer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett, an appointee of President Biden, dismissed two federal firearms charges that carried death penalty specifications, determining they failed to meet the statutory definition of “crimes of violence.”
The ruling represents a substantial setback for federal prosecutors who had characterized the December 2024 shooting as a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination.” While removing the death penalty possibility, Judge Garnett preserved stalking charges that still carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The court has granted government attorneys a 30-day window to appeal the death penalty exclusion.
In a victory for prosecutors, Judge Garnett authorized the admission of critical evidence recovered from Mangione’s backpack at the time of his arrest. The inventory included a firearm, fraudulent identification documents, and a notebook allegedly containing Mangione’s detailed grievances against the American healthcare system. Defense attorneys had sought to suppress this evidence, claiming unlawful seizure without proper warrant authorization.
Mangione, a 27-year-old Ivy League graduate from an affluent Maryland family, maintains his innocence against all federal and state charges. The federal trial is scheduled to commence jury selection on September 8th, with opening statements expected October 13th. Concurrently, New York state prosecutors are pursuing a separate trial timeline as early as July, where Mangione faces nine charges including second-degree murder.
The case took another unusual turn recently when Minnesota resident Mark Anderson allegedly attempted to impersonate an FBI agent to secure Mangione’s release from Brooklyn detention. Authorities report Anderson arrived at the facility armed with a barbecue fork and pizza cutter, resulting in his current confinement at the same institution housing Mangione.