Luigi Mangione seeks dismissal of death penalty and US charges

Luigi Mangione asked a US judge to dismiss his federal indictment or bar prosecutors from seeking the death penalty, arguing statements by Attorney General Pam Bondi and others have violated his rights. 

Mangione, 27, who has pleaded not guilty, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive Brian Thompson in December outside a midtown Manhattan hotel and arrested days later in Pennsylvania. 

Separately, Mangione also faces state murder charges. In that case, a New York judge on Tuesday dismissed two terrorism-related murder charges against him, including one that carried a mandatory life prison term. 

In a memo to US District Judge Margaret Garnett late Friday, Mangione’s lawyers said potential federal jurors were prejudiced by the scene of a shackled Mangione being returned to New York, surrounded by armed agents in a group that included New York Mayor Eric Adams. Such a “perp walk” has been deemed unconstitutional, they said, comparing it to “a scene out of a Marvel movie.”  

“As part of an orchestrated effort to secure a death-eligible indictment against Mangione and achieve maximum publicity in the process, the Attorney General and other law enforcement officials have intentionally and serially violated his constitutional rights,” his lawyers Karen Friedman Agnifilo and Marc Agnifilo said in a memo filed late Friday.

Bondi also “rushed” a decision to seek the death penalty and revoked protocol prior administrations have used to assess capital murder cases, his lawyers said. She announced the government would seek capital murder charges on April 1.

“The United States Attorney General as well as law enforcement personnel and the highest New York City elected official took every opportunity to prejudice Mr. Mangione’s chances of having a fair grand jury hearing and fair legal proceedings in this death penalty case,” his lawyers said.

They described Mangione as a former honor student and class valedictorian from Maryland whose friends called him “kind” and “intelligent.”

“He is now fighting for his life against a government that seeks to execute him,” the defense said.

Prosecutors have until Oct. 31 to file their response. A spokesman for Manhattan US Attorney Jay Clayton declined to comment. 

No trial date has been scheduled in the federal case.

In the parallel state case, Mangione still faces charges that include second-degree murder and eight other counts. He has pleaded not guilty in that case. 

State prosecutors have said they intend to go to trial first ahead of the government, but no date has been scheduled.