A federal judge overseeing the case of Luigi Mangione — the 26-year-old accused of fatally shooting a health insurance executive in Manhattan — issued a stern warning Friday to the U.S. Attorney General: stop making public comments about the case or risk undermining the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
At the arraignment in Manhattan federal court, Mangione pleaded not guilty to four federal charges, including murder with a firearm, a charge that could lead to the death penalty. Judge Margaret Garnett used the hearing to criticize the politicized atmosphere surrounding the case, sparked in part by Attorney General Pam Bondi’s public declarations that the death penalty would be pursued as part of former President Trump’s law-and-order agenda.
Outside the Thurgood Marshall Courthouse, crowds of supporters gathered — some waiting overnight — waving signs and circling the building in trucks bearing Mangione’s image. Many expressed outrage at the U.S. healthcare system and framed Mangione as a symbol of resistance.
Inside, Judge Garnett instructed prosecutors to relay her message to interim U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and to ensure it reached Bondi and her staff. Defense attorneys had already objected to Bondi’s comments, which began even before Mangione was indicted.
Mangione was formally charged on April 17 for the December 4 murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. The shooting occurred outside a Midtown hotel during an investor conference. Authorities allege Mangione — a well-educated man from a prominent Maryland family — used a 3D-printed, silenced ghost gun in the attack. Shell casings with the words “DENY” and “DEPOSE,” and a bullet labeled “DELAY,” were found at the scene.
He was arrested five days later in a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, reportedly carrying a handwritten manifesto condemning the healthcare industry.
Federal prosecutors on Friday submitted formal notice that they intend to seek the death penalty, citing premeditation, ideological motive, and the potential for future violence. They argue Mangione planned the attack to provoke broader opposition to the healthcare system.
On the state level, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has also charged Mangione with first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, which could carry a life sentence.
Defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo told the court that some of Mangione’s jailhouse calls with counsel were accidentally recorded and given to federal prosecutors, though she was assured they wouldn’t be used in his cases. Judge Garnett asked for a government report on the matter by May 2.
Back outside the courtroom, the scene had a festival-like energy. One man tried selling his front-row seat for $350. Others swapped secondhand stories of knowing Mangione. One attendee, Sandra Ministro, held a handmade sign reading “Healthcare is a human right” and “Free Luigi.”