Attorney General Pam Bondi has directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of the targeted assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen daylight killing that shocked the nation.
Thompson was gunned down on December 4, 2024, outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Prosecutors say Mangione meticulously planned the ambush, tracking the health insurance executive’s movements before executing the attack with a homemade 9mm handgun.
Mangione was arrested five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania. At the time of his capture, law enforcement officials recovered the weapon, a manifesto, and a fake New Jersey ID that matched the one used at a nearby hostel prior to the shooting.
Bondi: “Cold-Blooded Assassination That Shocked America”
In a statement, Bondi called the killing “a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination”, and said it warranted the harshest penalty under federal law.
“There must be zero tolerance for politically motivated violence,” Bondi said. “This administration will use every tool available—including the death penalty—to ensure justice is served.”
The case falls under federal jurisdiction due to its implications for national security and interstate flight. Although New York State does not allow capital punishment, federal prosecutors can override state laws when crimes meet the criteria for execution—especially in cases involving terrorism, public assassination, or interstate threats.
Attorney General Pam Bondi has announced she is seeking the death penalty for Luigi Mangione. pic.twitter.com/ZTl3IEtOx3
— Trending Politics (@tpbreaking) April 1, 2025
Mangione Faces State and Federal Charges
Mangione is facing multiple charges in both state and federal court, including first-degree murder, unlawful firearm possession, terrorism-related offenses, and intentional targeting of a public figure. He has pleaded not guilty to the state charges but has not yet entered a plea in federal court.
Investigators say Mangione’s actions were driven by a deep-seated ideological hatred toward the health insurance industry, and his writings suggested he viewed the assassination as a form of retribution.
Trump Administration Sends Clear Message
The decision to pursue the death penalty aligns with President Donald Trump’s tough-on-crime policies, which prioritize swift and decisive justice for those who commit acts of public violence.
A senior DOJ official emphasized that this case represents “exactly the kind of lawlessness we will no longer tolerate.”
Divisive Reaction
While some on the radical Left have disturbingly attempted to frame Mangione’s attack as a form of protest, mainstream leaders across the country have condemned the assassination as an act of domestic terrorism, not activism.
The Trump administration remains firm: no political agenda will excuse violence, and no act of terrorism—whether foreign or domestic—will go unpunished.
If convicted on federal charges, Mangione could face execution by lethal injection, the first such case pursued under the renewed federal death penalty protocols announced earlier this year.