Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty, federal judge rules

Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, a federal district judge ruled Friday, dealing a blow to US prosecutors who were adamant about pursuing the ultimate sentence.

The judge dismissed the murder charge that would have made the 27-year-old eligible for the death penalty in his federal case because it requires that the killing was committed during another “crime of violence.” Prosecutors alleged the other crimes of violence were represented by two stalking charges, arguing Mangione stalked Thompson online and travelled across state lines to carry out the killing.