Mangione, 26, is already facing state murder and weapons charges in New York, which does not have the death penalty. The federal indictment does not include new charges but raises the stakes for Mangione, who has pleaded not guilty to the state charges. The indictment means that a grand jury found probable cause to charge Mangione with murder, stalking and firearms offenses. A hearing in the federal case is scheduled for Friday in Manhattan federal court. Mangione has asked a judge to prevent federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty. His lawyers in a filing last week said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s April 1 announcement that prosecutors would seek the death penalty was “unapologetically political” and breached government protocols for death penalty decisions. If that bid fails and Mangione is convicted in the federal case, the jury would determine in a separate phase of the trial whether to recommend the death penalty. Any such recommendation must be unanimous, and the judge would be required to impose it.
Accused CEO killer Luigi Mangione was indicted on federal charges Thursday, a day before his scheduled court appearance in the December killing of CEO Brian Thompson.
The indictment means that a grand jury found probable cause to charge Mangione with murder, stalking and firearms offenses. A hearing in the federal case is scheduled for Friday in Manhattan federal court. Mangione has asked a judge to prevent federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty. His lawyers in a filing last week said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s April 1 announcement that prosecutors would seek the death penalty was “unapologetically political” and breached government protocols for death penalty decisions. If that bid fails and Mangione is convicted in the federal case, the jury would determine in a separate phase of the trial whether to recommend the death penalty. Any such recommendation must be unanimous, and the judge would be required to impose it.
