Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down a health insurance executive on a Manhattan sidewalk, is due in federal court on Friday for a hearing where he could plead guilty to stalking or similar charges. A guilty plea would avert a trial in the closely watched case over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a brazen crime that was condemned by public officials but became emblematic of Americans’ frustration with health insurance industry practices.
Background
Mangione’s lawyers and prosecutors with the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office jointly requested the hearing without giving a reason. The New York Times reported on Thursday that Mangione was expected to plead guilty but said the specifics of the deal were unclear and could change because talks were ongoing.
Mangione previously pleaded not guilty in April 2025 to murder, weapons and stalking charges brought by Manhattan federal prosecutors. The judge threw out the murder and weapons charges over legal technicalities in a surprise ruling in January. The decision eliminated the possibility that Mangione would face the death penalty, though he still faces a possible sentence of life without parole if convicted on the remaining stalking charges.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
