Luigi Mangione is accused of fatally shooting a health insurance executive in New York City.
Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, who is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Attorney General Pam Bondi stated on Tuesday that “The killing of Brian Thompson by Luigi Mangione – an innocent man with two young children – was a planned and brutal assassination that shocked the nation.”
She added, “After careful consideration, I have instructed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty in this case, in line with President Trump’s objective to curb violent crime and enhance American safety.”
Prosecutors allege that Mangione stalked Thompson before shooting him on a Manhattan street on December 4, 2024. Bondi described the event as “an act of political violence.”
Following a widespread search, police apprehended Mangione in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9.
Mangione is said to have authored a brief manifesto expressing his discontent with the American healthcare system. According to journalist Ken Klippenstein, he wrote, “Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming … They continue to exploit our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it.”
In January, President Donald Trump directed the Justice Department to pursue capital punishment “for all crimes of a severity demanding its use.”
The president stated in his executive order that “Capital punishment is vital for deterring and punishing individuals who perpetrate the most heinous offenses and lethal acts of violence against American citizens.”