New York: Federal prosecutors have filed murder charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing Brian Thompson, the CEO of United HealthCare (UHC). This makes him eligible for the death penalty. Mangione appeared in federal court on Thursday after being extradited from Pennsylvania, where he was arrested.
Initial charges against him by local prosecutors included terrorism and murder under New York state laws, which do not permit the death penalty. Mangione, an Ivy League-educated software engineer and game developer, allegedly shot Thompson outside a hotel on Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan on December 4, using a 9mm gun with a silencer partly constructed from a 3D printer. He escaped the scene on an electric bike, took a taxi to an interstate bus terminal, rode the subway, and boarded a train to Pennsylvania, making efforts to cover his tracks.
During a nationwide manhunt, he was recognized by patrons and staff at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, who alerted law enforcement. After appearing in a Pennsylvania local court where he consented to extradition, he was transferred to New York City police and then delivered to federal authorities upon his arrival in Manhattan via helicopter.
The federal murder charges stem from the argument that Mangione traveled across state lines to carry out his alleged crime, allowing federal prosecutors to assert jurisdiction. If he had not agreed to extradition, the process would have been more complicated, requiring a Pennsylvania court order.
Mangione’s attorney described the federal charges as “highly unusual,” noting that she had been informed he would be presented in state court before learning of the federal proceedings. His alleged motivations, expressed in writings found on him, included strong criticisms of health insurance companies and capitalism, stating that UHC was among the “parasites” profiting from the US healthcare system, which he claimed was among the most expensive yet least effective globally.
Despite the violent nature of the crime, Mangione seems to have garnered some public support, particularly among younger voters, with 41% of those aged 18 to 29 expressing some level of acceptance of his actions in a national Emerson College poll. This reaction has prompted a response from acting federal prosecutor Edward Kim, who emphasized that Mangione’s actions were not a debate but murder.
The local case against Mangione is expected to be tried first, with federal charges serving as a safeguard should he be acquitted at the state level, keeping the threat of the death penalty hanging over him. Mangione, who came from a wealthy background and enjoyed a promising career, reportedly had his life derailed by a serious back injury.