Luigi Mangione has voiced his concerns following prosecutors’ push for the death penalty in his intricate murder trial.
Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot in an incident that authorities claim was a premeditated attack orchestrated by Mangione.
The tragic event occurred when Thompson was struck twice – in his back and leg – while exiting the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan last December.
Authorities later revealed that a suspect was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania, thanks to a tip from a McDonald’s employee, leading to the arrest at the fast-food restaurant.
The accused is facing 11 state charges in New York, including first-degree murder and committing murder as an act of terrorism.
Additionally, the 26-year-old is charged federally for using a firearm in a murder and interstate stalking resulting in death, keeping him detained.
The federal allegations could lead to Mangione facing the death penalty.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi previously commented: “Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson – an innocent man and father of two young children – was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.
“After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.”
On Friday, April 11, Mangione requested a federal judge in New York to prevent the Trump administration from pursuing the death penalty should he be found guilty.
While Mangione has entered a not guilty plea to state charges in this case, he has yet to respond to the federal accusations.
Defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo stated: “When the United States plans to kill one of its citizens, it must follow statutory and internal procedures.”
She further argued that ‘Mangione seeks Court intervention now not merely because the Government has failed to follow these procedures but because it has abandoned them’.
The defense team added: “The stakes could not be higher. The United States government intends to kill Mr. Mangione as a political stunt.
“We appreciate, and will address, the province and discretion of the Executive Branch of government, and how, in the usual course, courts defer to the Executive’s established procedures.
“But the Attorney General’s actions and public statements in this case have not followed the usual course. Because the Attorney General has chosen to proceed in this way, Mr. Mangione’s Due Process rights have already been violated and the manner in which the Government has acted has prejudiced the grand jury pool and has corrupted the grand jury process.”