LUIGI MANGIONE’S DEFENSE SEEKS TO BLOCK DEATH PENALTY IN FEDERAL CEO MURDER CASE

The legal team representing LUIGI MANGIONE has filed a motion urging a federal judge to eliminate the possibility of the death penalty before Mangione is formally indicted in the assassination of BRIAN THOMPSON, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Thompson was fatally shot from behind outside a New York City hotel last year.

In a series of contentious court filings, federal prosecutors argued that it is premature for the defense to challenge the death penalty, as Mangione has yet to be indicted or arraigned, and no formal notice to seek capital punishment has been filed. However, on April 1, Attorney General PAM BONDI announced via an Instagram post that she was directing prosecutors to pursue the death penalty. Mangione’s defense team criticized the announcement, claiming it implied guilt before a trial and potentially prejudiced the grand jury process.

The defense, led by attorneys KAREN FRIEDMAN AGNIFILO and AVI MOSKOWITZ, argued that seeking the death penalty in this case is arbitrary, capricious, and politically motivated, particularly given Thompson’s prominence as a CEO. Federal prosecutors countered that it is too early for such arguments and emphasized that the defense has no authority over how evidence is presented to a grand jury.

Central to the defense’s argument is the claim that the Justice Department’s Instagram announcement, attributed to Bondi, violated Mangione’s right to due process by influencing the jury pool. Mangione’s attorneys asserted that waiting for an indictment would be too late to address this alleged prejudice.

Legal experts, including former federal prosecutor NEAMA RAHMANI, suggest that the defense faces significant challenges in proving selective prosecution. “It’s a very difficult and high legal burden to meet,” Rahmani told Fox News Digital, predicting that the Justice Department may increasingly seek the death penalty in blue states that have banned or suspended capital punishment.

BRIAN THOMPSON, 50, a father of two, was in New York City for a shareholder conference when he was allegedly ambushed by Mangione, who faces charges including terror-related murder in multiple jurisdictions. Mangione has pleaded not guilty.

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