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The U.S. Department of Justice has officially directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the decision, framing the killing as a premeditated "act of political violence" intended to intimidate corporate executives. The move marks a significant policy decision, representing the first time the current administration has authorized prosecutors to pursue capital punishment.
The directive from the Attorney General escalates a case that has captured national attention since Thompson was fatally shot outside a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Mangione, a 26-year-old with a background in software engineering, was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, days after the shooting. Federal prosecutors have charged him with murder, as well as with interstate transportation of an illegal firearm. In her statement, Bondi asserted that the evidence suggests the crime was meticulously planned and that its violent nature warrants the most severe penalty available under federal law.
In response to the attorney general's directive, Mangione’s defense team has already taken legal action. His attorneys filed a motion requesting that a federal judge restrain Bondi from making further public statements about the case. The defense argues that the Attorney General's high-profile comments could prejudice a potential jury and
