Manhattan federal prosecutors declined to attraction a decide’s ruling that barred them from searching for the dying penalty in opposition to Luigi Mangione within the 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
In a letter, the federal government stated it could not pursue an “interlocutory evaluation” of the order from U.S. District Choose Margaret M. Garnett, who instructed prosecutors to find out by Friday whether or not they would attraction her ruling.
Mangione’s authorized group on Friday declined to touch upon the federal government’s replace.
Final month, Garnett dismissed two of the 4 federal counts in opposition to Mangione, 27, which embody homicide by way of using a firearm and a associated firearms offense. That homicide cost carries a possible dying sentence.
Mangione nonetheless faces two counts of interstate stalking, which carry a most sentence of life in jail with out parole.
He has pleaded not responsible to the costs.
In her ruling, Garnett decided the homicide cost was technically flawed, saying the underlying stalking offense did not qualify as a “crime of violence.”
To hunt the dying penalty, prosecutors had been required to indicate that Mangione killed Thompson, 50, whereas committing one other “crime of violence.”
Mangione’s lawyer Karen Agnifilo applauded the ruling, calling it an “unimaginable resolution” and “we’re all very relieved.”
“We wish to thank all of the individuals who come out and stand within the chilly, and the individuals who can’t come right here, all of the supporters,” Agnifilo stated.
In April, Legal professional Basic Pam Bondi directed prosecutors to pursue the dying penalty, saying, “Luigi Mangione’s homicide of Brian Thompson — an harmless man and father of two younger youngsters — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.”
Mangione is accused of killing Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, in midtown Manhattan as the manager headed to a UnitedHealth Group investor convention. The capturing prompted a five-day nationwide manhunt that ended when Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
He’s set to go to federal trial this fall, with jury choice in September.
He additionally faces 9 counts, together with second-degree homicide and varied weapons prices, in a separate case introduced by New York state prosecutors. That case is slated to start on June 8.
Mangione has pleaded not responsible to all federal and state prices.
