NEW YORK/WASHINGTON – US Attorney General Pamela Bondi has instructed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealth Group's insurance division, in New York last year. Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, criticized the decision, calling it “barbaric” and accusing the government of engaging in “pre-meditated, state-sponsored murder.”

The 26-year-old suspect has pleaded not guilty to New York state charges of terrorism-related murder and weapons offenses. If convicted at the state level, he could receive life in prison without parole, as New York does not impose the death penalty for state crimes. However, Mangione is also facing federal charges in a Manhattan court, where Bondi announced prosecutors will seek capital punishment. He has not yet entered a plea for these charges. If convicted federally, a separate phase of the trial would determine whether the jury recommends the death penalty, a decision that must be unanimous for the judge to impose it.

Thompson was shot on December 4 outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel where UnitedHealth Group was holding an investor conference. Bondi justified her decision by calling the murder a cold-blooded assassination that shocked the nation. She stated, “After careful consideration, I have directed prosecutors to seek the death penalty as part of President Trump’s agenda to combat violent crime and Make America Safe Again.”

The high-profile murder and five-day manhunt for Mangione captured national attention. On December 9, police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, arrested him with a 9mm pistol and silencer, clothing matching the suspect in surveillance footage, and a notebook detailing plans to target an insurance executive.

While officials widely condemned the crime, some Americans have shown sympathy for Mangione, arguing that his actions highlighted rising healthcare costs and the power of insurers to deny medical payments. Bondi’s decision follows her February 5 move to lift a federal execution moratorium that had been in place since 2021 under her predecessor, Merrick Garland, who served under Democratic President Joe Biden.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Curtis Means via Reuters.