The fate of Luigi Mangione hung in the balance Friday as he returned to court, seeking to dismantle the most severe accusations leveled against him. Outside the courthouse, a gathering of supporters waited, their hopes pinned on a hearing that could determine if the specter of the death penalty would continue to loom over his case.
At the heart of the legal battle was a motion to dismiss two of the four federal charges, crucially including the charge of murder committed with a firearm. If granted, this dismissal would effectively remove the possibility of capital punishment. The judge, however, offered no immediate decision, instead outlining a potential timeline for the unfolding trial.
Jury selection could begin as early as the week of September 8th, the judge indicated. Should the case remain a capital offense, opening statements wouldn’t likely occur until January 2027. A favorable ruling for the defense, stripping away the capital charges, could accelerate the process, potentially bringing opening statements forward to October.
Reinforcing the defense team, Paresh Patel, a Maryland-based appellate attorney, joined the proceedings as special counsel. Patel argued that the federal stalking charges, while present, didn’t inherently justify the escalated charge of murder by firearm, asserting that stalking itself isn’t a violent act.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jun Xiang countered with a stark reminder of the victim: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, whose shooting was captured on video. Xiang drew a chilling parallel to a gang-related incident involving a grenade, emphasizing that the intent to instill fear of bodily harm is a critical element in justifying the charge.
The prosecution presented a grim picture of the event – Thompson, a 50-year-old Minnesota resident and father of two, was shot multiple times in the back outside a Manhattan hotel, just hours before a scheduled shareholder conference. Surveillance footage captured the entire, brutal act.
As the hearing concluded around 1:30 p.m., the judge announced a forthcoming ruling, urging both sides to prepare for jury selection in early September, with a trial potentially commencing later that fall or in early winter, with January as the latest possible start date.
Separately, prosecutors dismissed arguments raised by Mangione’s legal team alleging a conflict of interest involving Attorney General Pam Bondi. The defense claimed Bondi’s prior ties to a lobbying firm connected to UnitedHealthcare warranted her recusal, citing her decision to pursue the death penalty in this case shortly after leaving the firm.
Prosecutors vehemently refuted these claims as “incomplete and misleading,” stating Bondi receives no compensation from the firm and acted without influence from any corporate interests when seeking the death penalty. They maintained her decision was based solely on the severity of the crime.
While the defense withdrew a motion to suppress statements Mangione made to police following his arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, they continue to challenge the admissibility of evidence recovered from his backpack without a warrant. The judge, however, expressed no inclination to hold an evidentiary hearing on the matter.
Prosecutors argued that any evidence found in the backpack would have inevitably been discovered during subsequent, properly obtained searches. Legal experts generally agree that a warrant isn’t typically required for searching a bag during an arrest.
