Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal stalking charges in Brian Thompson death
The plea resolves the remaining federal charges tied to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and could affect a separate New York state case.
Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty in a Manhattan federal court to stalking charges related to the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione claims he shot Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4, 2024, and he died from the injuries sustained. Prosecutors allege that Mangione traveled to New York City and fatally shot Thompson as he walked to the UnitedHealth Group's annual investor conference.
The judge has accepted the guilty plea, and sentencing is set for December. Mangione faces a potential life sentence without parole on the two stalking counts. Initially, Mangione pleaded not guilty to federal murder, weapons, and stalking charges. However, the murder and weapons charges were dismissed due to legal technicalities, leaving only the stalking charges.
Mangione faces additional murder, weapons, and forgery charges in New York state court. His lawyer stated that state charges must be dismissed under New York's double jeopardy protections. Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, was shot three times in the back while walking into a Manhattan hotel for the annual investor day.
Some supporters have hailed Mangione as a hero, while others, including President Donald Trump, have called for a harsh punishment. The Manhattan US attorney's office aims to seek a life imprisonment sentence. Thompson's family expressed hope that the plea would mark an important step towards justice.
Written by urgent.news from DW News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
