Federal prosecutors I can’t search the death penalty against Luigi Mangione in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompsona judge ruled Friday. The Trump administration wanted Luigi executed, calling the fatal shooting a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.” For Mangione, this is a legal victory that his legal team defended in October.
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Judge overturns death sentence with new ruling
American District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed a federal murder charge that allowed prosecutors to seek the death penalty. In a written decision, Garnett concluded that the charge was technically flawed. She wrote that she did it to “exclude the death penalty as an available sentence to be considered by the jury”, because it is a question of whether Mangione should be condemned. His decision comes after hearing oral arguments earlier this month.
Judge Garnett left in place stalking charges carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison. In order to seek the death penalty, prosecutors had to show that Mangione killed Thompson while committing another “crime of violence.” Harassment does not fit this definition, Garnett wrote in his opinion, citing case law and legal precedent. She also dismissed the gun charge against Luigi Mangione.
Luigi appeared in court for a originally scheduled conference on the case shortly after the judge issued her ruling. His lawyers did not immediately comment on the decision. However, they could do so during or after the conference.
Prosecutors score victory in court
In a victory for prosecutors, Judge Garnett ruled that prosecutors could use evidence collected from his backpack during his arrest. This evidence includes a 9mm handgun and a laptop computer. In this book, authorities say, Luigi Mangione described his intention to “wacker” an insurance executive.
Mangione’s lawyers wanted to exclude these elements. They argued the search was illegal because police had not yet obtained a warrant. Ultimately, the judge allows the evidence. As noted, his decisions could be appealed.
What’s next for Luigi Mangione?
Judge Garnett gave prosecutors 30 days to notify her of any plans to appeal her death penalty decision. Additionally, Garnett acknowledged that his death penalty decision could create confusion.
She wrote, it’s “may seem tortured and strange to the average person – and to many lawyers and judges, and the result may seem contrary to our intuitions about criminal law. » But, she said, it reflected her “efforts to faithfully apply the precepts of the Supreme Court to the charges in this case. The law must be the Court’s sole concern.”
Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges. His state murder charges also carry the possibility of a life sentence in prison. Jury selection in the federal case is scheduled to begin September 8. Opening statements and testimony are scheduled to begin October 13. A date for the state trial has not yet been set. On Wednesday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office sent a letter urging the judge in the case to set a trial date for July 1.
What would Luigi Mangione have done?
Luigi Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, killed 50-year-old Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024. At the time, the UnitedHealthcare CEO was walking to a midtown Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. Surveillance video shows a masked gunman shooting him from behind. Police said “delay,” “deny” and “drop” were written on the ammunition. The words mimic a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims. Luigi Mangione was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles west of Manhattan.
Trump’s campaign has promised to vigorously pursue capital punishment. Attorney General Pam Bondi followed up by ordering federal prosecutors in Manhattan last April to seek the death penalty against Mangione. It was the first time the Justice Department sought to introduce the death penalty during President Donald Trump’s second term.
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