❓WHAT HAPPENED: Lawyers for Luigi Mangione have filed a motion seeking to block the Justice Department’s attempt to pursue the death penalty in the case of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s assassination, citing comments by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Luigi Mangione and his lawyers, and Attorney General Bondi.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Bondi made her comments in April on Fox News.
💬KEY QUOTE: “If there was ever a death case, this is one.” – Attorney General Pam Bondi
🎯IMPACT: The defense has accused the Justice Department of constitutional violations and political motivations, as Mangione faces charges in multiple jurisdictions.
Attorneys for Luigi Mangione have filed a motion urging a federal judge to prevent the Justice Department from seeking the death penalty in the high-profile murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The defense argues that the government’s pursuit of capital punishment is politically motivated and unconstitutional, citing public statements made by top officials that they say could prejudice a potential jury.
Mangione, 27, is accused of tracking Thompson to New York City, where prosecutors allege he shot and killed the health executive on a Manhattan sidewalk near a hotel where Thompson had planned to meet investors. The slaying took place on December 4, 2024. Mangione was arrested five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where authorities say he was found with a firearm, fake identification, and a notebook containing anti-health insurance industry writings.
In a motion filed Saturday, Mangione’s legal team described the Justice Department’s decision to seek the death penalty as “arbitrary and capricious,” arguing it violates the Fifth and Eighth Amendments. They specifically pointed to a comment made by Attorney General Pam Bondi on Fox News earlier this year, where she stated, “If there was ever a death case, this is one.” The defense says this statement, along with others made by officials, could unfairly sway public opinion and taint the legal process.
The attorneys also criticized New York state prosecutors for initially charging Mangione with terrorism-related offenses and then allegedly leaking details of the investigation, including references to a “manifesto” and messages opposing the health insurance industry that were reportedly etched onto bullet casings.
On September 16, 2025, a New York judge dismissed the terrorism charges, ruling that prosecutors had not provided sufficient evidence to show that Mangione acted with the intent to intimidate a civilian population.
Despite the dismissal of those charges, Mangione still faces a second-degree murder charge in New York state court and several federal charges, including stalking and firearm-related offenses. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Federal prosecutors argue that the defense has no authority to dictate how evidence is presented to a grand jury or how charging decisions are made.
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