United States Attorney General Pamela Bond issued a statement ordering federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione after he was charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York in December.
“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Bond said in a statement.
“After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.”
The statement issued by the Department of Justice also read that the “murder was an act of political violence” and involved “substantial planning and premeditation”.
In response, Mangione’s lawyer, Karen Freidman Agnifilo, released her statement calling the Department of Justice’s decision to seek the death penalty “barbaric” and “corrupt”.
“Their decision to execute Luigi is political and goes against the recommendation of the local federal prosecutors, the law, and historical precedent,” Agnifilo said.
“By doing this, they are defending the broken, immoral, and murderous healthcare industry that continues to terrorise the American people.”
U.S. President Donald Trump restored the death penalty as a legal punishment early on in his second term as president.
Magione was charged with first-degree murder and terrorism-related charges after killing Thompson on 4 December 2024.
The shooting occurred outside a hotel where Thompson was attending a company conference with a note from Mangione suggesting the murder was motivated by anger towards UnitedHealthcare and the U.S. healthcare system.
