Luigi Mangione set to appear in court for expected guilty plea in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO

Luigi Mangione is set to appear in federal court on Friday, according to a person familiar with the matter, where he is expected to plead guilty in connection with the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The hearing could still be affected by Mangione's potential change of mind, as previous plea talks in June broke down.

Both federal and state prosecutors are pursuing charges against Mangione, who is accused of ambushing Thompson outside a New York City hotel while the CEO was walking to the UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. A federal trial on murder charges is set to begin next month, though it may not proceed if Mangione pleads guilty in the federal case.

Mangione faces two federal charges of stalking Thompson to cause his death, which could result in a life prison sentence. A federal judge recently dismissed additional charges that could have led to the death penalty. Mangione's legal team has previously expressed concerns about the prospect of two trials, citing the potential of double jeopardy.

Despite these challenges, Mangione's cases involve different charges arising from the same course of conduct.