Judge Blocks Death Penalty in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder Case

Fri Jan 30 2026 19:28:35 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A federal judge has ruled that prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, as legal challenges mount in this high-profile case.

Federal prosecutors' effort to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione was thwarted by Judge Margaret Garnett, who dismissed the murder charge in the case of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's killing. While stalking charges remain, the legal battle is poised to continue as jury selection is set for September.

NEW YORK (AP) — In a significant ruling, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett decided on Friday that federal prosecutors could not seek the death penalty against Luigi Mangione for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The charges against Mangione were described by the Trump administration as a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.

Judge Garnett dismissed a federal murder charge against the 27-year-old, determining it was technically flawed. Nevertheless, she allowed stalking charges to proceed, which carry a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment.

Mangione, who is currently facing both federal and state murder charges, has pleaded not guilty. Jury selection for the federal case is slated to begin on September 8, although a state trial date is still pending. The Manhattan district attorney's office has requested that this state trial start by July 1.

Thompson, aged 50, was shot dead on December 4, 2024, while en route to a UnitedHealth Group investor conference in midtown Manhattan. Details revealed by surveillance footage indicated that a masked gunman killed him from behind, with police later stating that the ammunition had phrases etched onto it, mocking how insurers might avoid payment of claims, saying delay, deny, and depose.

Mangione hails from a wealthy Maryland family and is an Ivy League graduate. He was arrested just days after Thompson's assassination at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, located approximately 230 miles west of Manhattan.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, enforcing President Donald Trump’s aggressive stance on capital punishment, had instructed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty for Mangione. This marked the Justice Department's first attempt to use the death penalty during Trump's second term, following a suspension of federal executions under President Joe Biden's administration.

Judge Garnett's ruling followed extensive arguments from both prosecution and defense, indicating a contentious legal environment surrounding this high-profile case.