Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in what prosecutors describe as a politically motivated assassination, pleaded not guilty to federal murder charges on Friday during an arraignment in Manhattan federal court. US prosecutors are seeking the death penalty—marking the first such federal case since Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
The 26-year-old, flanked by his attorneys and wearing a mustard-coloured jail uniform, responded “not guilty” when asked how he wished to plead. Judge Margaret Garnett confirmed that Mangione understood the charges, which include murder through use of a firearm, stalking, and a firearms offence. Prosecutors allege Mangione fatally shot Thompson from behind using a silenced pistol outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on December 4, 2024, just as the CEO arrived for his company’s annual investor meeting.
The courtroom was packed with onlookers, including activist Chelsea Manning, while crowds gathered outside and mobile trucks circled with videos criticising the health insurance industry and opposing the death penalty. The case has become a rallying point for critics of private healthcare in the US.
“This was an act of political violence… a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said earlier this month, announcing the death penalty decision. Mangione’s defence team denounced Bondi’s public remarks as a “political stunt” that tainted the legal process and violated his right to a fair trial. On Friday, Judge Garnett warned prosecutors to avoid statements that could prejudice the proceedings.
Mangione’s attorneys are pushing for the federal trial to proceed before the New York state case, where he also faces murder charges and the possibility of life imprisonment without parole. No trial dates have been set, but his next federal hearing is scheduled for December 5—one day after the first anniversary of the killing.
Authorities say Mangione travelled from Atlanta to New York ten days before the shooting, then fled after the attack. He was arrested five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after staff at a McDonald’s alerted police. Officers recovered a 9mm handgun, along with a notebook detailing plans to target a health insurance CEO. Prosecutors say Mangione wrote phrases such as “the target is insurance” and “wack an insurance CEO.”
Surveillance footage captured the masked gunman firing at Thompson. The bullets were allegedly inscribed with the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose”—a reference to tactics often associated with denied insurance claims.
Outside court, activists decried what they called the Justice Department’s “barbaric” approach and claimed Mangione was being vilified before trial. “These are serious accusations that deserve some reflection, not this vilification before the trial has even begun,” said Lindsay Floyd, an activist supporting Mangione.
