Luigi Mangione’s legal team may have uncovered a method to potentially remove one of the most severe charges he confronts.
Previously, Mangione entered a not guilty plea to accusations related to the death of Brian Thompson, a healthcare CEO, last year.
On December 4, 2024, Thompson was fatally shot after leaving his hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
Authorities quickly concluded that the incident was a ‘targeted attack,’ prompting a manhunt for the suspect. Mangione was apprehended less than a week later and charged.
He has pleaded not guilty to federal charges, including stalking, firearm offenses, and murder.
At 27, Mangione is facing two murder cases: one under state charges and another under federal charges. His legal representatives have requested that the federal case be heard first.
The federal case is significant as it carries the possibility of a death sentence.
Reports suggest Mangione’s lawyers might have found a strategy to avoid the death penalty for their client if convicted.
On Saturday, October 11, his attorneys requested a New York federal judge to dismiss some criminal charges, including the sole count that could result in the death penalty.
The legal documents filed in Manhattan federal court argue that prosecutors should not be permitted to use Mangione’s statements made to police, alleging he was not informed of his Miranda rights. They point to police bodycam footage as evidence.
Additionally, they argue that the gun found in Mangione’s backpack should not be admissible in court because the officers allegedly lacked a warrant, thereby infringing on his rights.
Mangione’s defense contends that the federal charges should be dismissed as they rely on a murder being committed with a firearm as part of other ‘crimes of violence.’
They argue there isn’t sufficient evidence to prove Mangione committed other ‘crimes of violence,’ as the only other accusation against him is stalking, which does not qualify.
To date, a judge has already dismissed two criminal charges against Mangione.
Last month, Judge Gregory Carro in Manhattan dismissed two terrorism-related charges: murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism.
The judge deemed these charges ‘legally insufficient.’
Mangione’s defense team argued that the terrorism-related charges should be removed since New York state law defines terrorism as targeting multiple civilians, not a single person’s murder.
While there is significant discussion surrounding Mangione’s trial, it is scheduled to commence no earlier than 2026 because prosecutors have 3 terabytes of data to review. His next court appearance is set for June 26.