A federal grand jury indicted Luigi Mangione on four counts in the murder of the CEO of United Healthcare

A federal grand jury in New York on Thursday handed down a formal four-count indictment against Luigi Mangione, who is the 26-year-old man who, on December 4, 2024, killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson after shooting him multiple times outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Mangione was charged with two counts of stalking, one count of murder by use of a firearm, and one firearm offense. Different attorneys explained after the indictment that the murder charge could make Mangione eligible for the death penalty, a punishment that the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced earlier this month that it would seek to apply in the event the subject was convicted.

A few hours after the DOJ's announcement, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi assured in a press release that she had formally ordered the death penalty for Mangione if the justice system found him guilty. Bondi detailed that he made this decision to "carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again." In response, Mangione's lawyers confirmed on numerous occasions that they would try to prevent this from happening.

Seeking to avoid the death penalty

In a motion filed last week, Mangione's defense attorney, Karen Friedman, argued that the statement by the country's attorney general was not only improper but also "prejudiced the grand jury process" by having been made before the 26-year-old man was formally indicted on federal charges. Similarly, Friedman asked the judge to prevent the government from seeking the death penalty and even demanded that the government turn over all notes and documents related to Bondi's directive.

Thompson's murder took place in the evening hours while the CEO was on his way to an investor conference, when Mangione, who had already been stalking him, shot him several times until ending his life. The subject was arrested five days after the crime at a McDonald's in the city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, and was initially charged through a federal indictment in connection with the murder.

While a federal complaint had already been unsealed against Mangione in December, the 26-year-old had not been formally charged until just a few hours ago. Several media outlets reported that Mangione's attorney has been pushing for an official dismissal of all charges related to forgery and firearms. Although Mangione also faces several state charges in connection with Thompson's murder, the subject has pleaded not guilty.