Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, pleaded not guilty on Monday (December 23) to state charges of murder and terrorism.
The 26-year-old appeared in Manhattan court and leaned toward a microphone to enter his plea. The Manhattan district attorney had charged him the previous week with multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism.
Mangione’s state trial court appearance was delayed due to federal prosecutors filing their own charges in the case. If convicted on federal charges, he could face the death penalty, whereas the state charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Concerns Raised Over Fair Trial
Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, raised concerns about her client’s ability to receive a fair trial during the hearing. She pointed to Mayor Eric Adams’ presence last week, standing alongside dozens of heavily armed law enforcement officers during Mangione’s extradition from Pennsylvania to Lower Manhattan.
“He’s a young man and he’s being treated like a human pingpong ball by two warring jurisdictions here,” she said. “They’re treating him like a human spectacle.”
Judge Gregory Carro told Agnifilo that her client’s trial would be fair, adding, “we will carefully select a jury.” The next court date has been set for February 21.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s Killing
Authorities allege that Mangione shot Thompson as he was heading to an investor conference in midtown Manhattan on the morning of December 4.
After a five-day search, Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, where he was found with a gun matching the one used in the shooting. He also was carrying a fake ID and a notebook containing hostile statements about the health insurance industry, particularly targeting wealthy executives, according to federal prosecutors.
Thompson, a father of two high-school-aged children, had been with UnitedHealth Group for 20 years and became CEO of its insurance division in 2021.
