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By Khaleda Rahman and Joshua Rhett Miller
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Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty during a hearing Friday to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, confessing to the high-profile slaying for the first time.
Mangione, 28, had been accused of ambushing Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two, outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4, 2024. Defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo told Judge Margaret Garnett that Mangione was prepared to plead guilty just moments before he spoke.
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"On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan, and he died," Mangione said in court on Friday. "I knew what I was doing was illegal."
Mangione also admitted making a gun with a 3-D printer and traveling to New York after posing as an investor while contacting UnitedHealthcare for details about an investor conference that Thompson attended.
Thompson's widow, Paulette, who was joined in court by Thompson's mother, repeatedly wiped tears from her face as Mangione addressed the judge.
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Mangione, who now faces up to life in prison, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 18. He responded "yes" when Garnett asked whether he understood that he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
The federal plea raises immediate questions about the state case against Mangione, but Manhattan prosecutors indicated they intend to proceed as scheduled on September 8 before Justice Gregory Carro.
"Since December 2024, the Manhattan D.A.’s Office has been tirelessly preparing to pursue a trial conviction in New York State Supreme Court for the alleged cold-blooded murder of Brian Thompson," the Manhattan District Attorney's Office told Newsweek in a statement on Friday. "We are encouraged that Mr. Thompson's family received a measure of accountability today. While federal sentencing is pending, we are prepared to litigate the defense motions. The Manhattan D.A.’s Office remains committed to seeking justice for Mr. Thompson and his family."
Mangione has previously pleaded not guilty to charges in both the federal and state cases. Charges in each case carry the possibility of a life sentence.
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What Is Mangione Charged With?
In the federal case, Mangione faced two charges: interstate stalking resulting in death and stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The federal complaint alleges he traveled across state lines to stalk and kill Thompson and that he used means such as a cellphone, the internet, interstate highways while planning and carrying out the attack.
A federal judge in January dismissed two other federal counts, including murder through use of a firearm, that had carried the possibility of the death penalty.
Separately, Mangione is facing state charges, including second-degree murder and firearms offenses. A judge last year threw out terrorism charges in the state case.
Both the federal and state cases carry the possibility of life imprisonment if Mangione is convicted.
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What Happens If He Pleads Guilty?
A guilty plea to one or both charges in the federal case means Mangione admits legal responsibility for the offense and would mean he avoids a federal trial on that charge or charges and shift the case to sentencing.
It could come as part of a plea agreement negotiated with prosecutors or it could happen without a deal in place.
A plea agreement typically involves some form of understanding between prosecutors and the defense, and could come with a sentencing recommendation agreed by both parties.
But it would not automatically guarantee a shorter sentence since a judge would still have to accept the plea and decide the punishment.
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Could a Guilty Plea Stop the State Trial?
Attorneys for Mangione are seeking the dismissal of his state case under New York’s double jeopardy law following his guilty plea on Friday.
The state’s law protects people from being prosecuted twice for the same conduct. It can be triggered if a jury has been sworn in a prior prosecution or if a prior prosecution ends in a guilty plea.
"Normally, parallel and state prosecutions for the same crime don't violate double jeopardy because they're dual sovereigns. We saw this with Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd, for instance," Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor and president of the firm West Coast Trial Lawyers in Los Angeles, told Newsweek.
"But New York is unique," Rahmani continued. "New York has a specific state law that prohibits dual prosecutions for the ‘same criminal act or occurrence.’ It’s very possible the defense will argue that the stalking and murder were all part of the same criminal act and by pleading guilty in federal court, that prevents Mangione from being prosecuted in state court."
State prosecutors would certainly oppose such a move and have argued that their case is distinct. A judge would have to decide whether the state case can proceed. In a letter last month, state prosecutors objected to the possibility of a guilty plea in the federal case ending the state case.
Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann wrote on July 2 that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office would object if a guilty plea in the federal case "would operate to defeat a just outcome in the state prosecution."
"Any guilty pleas in these matters must account for the seriousness of defendant’s offenses, the loss of an innocent life, the impact of those crimes on the victim’s family, and the other state interests that are implicated, including the sanctity of life principle that underpins the state homicide charges," Seidemann wrote.
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Could Mangione Still Face Life in Prison?
Mangione faces the potential of life imprisonment following Friday's guilty plea. Prosecutors and defense lawyers will advocate for a specific sentence, although a judge will determine his fate.
"The stalking charges in federal court carry a potential life sentence. But Mangione's guideline range under the United States Sentencing Guidelines is closer to 25-30 years," Rahmani said. "If the federal judge sentences Mangione to something close to that range and he avoids state murder charges because of New York’s double jeopardy law, that would be a great result for the defense."
If the state case still proceeds to trial, Mangione could still face a sentence of life imprisonment if convicted on the second-degree murder charge. That charge carries a penalty of 25 years to life in prison.
'Not a Hero'
New York City Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch addressed reporters following Mangione's plea, saying the hearing marked an "important moment of accountability." She also spoke directly to "those who idolize" the now-confessed killer.
"Violence is not a cause," Tisch told reporters. "Murder is not a message and a killer is certainly not a hero."
James Barnacle, assistant director of the FBI’s New York field office, said Mangione's actions stand "in sharp contrast to the values" of many Americans.
"Rest assured, the FBI and our partners never stopped working to bring a killer to justice," Barnacle said in a statement. "While a plea has been entered in this case, we know the crime has not been erased. While nothing can ease the family's grief, we hope this brings them one step closer to closure."
UnitedHealthcare officials, meanwhile, said in a statement Friday that Thompson's death "devastated everyone who knew and loved him" while thanking authorities for holding Mangione accountable. The University of Pennsylvania graduate was arrested five days after the slaying at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, roughly 230 miles away from Manhattan.
What Happens Next?
Mangione accepted "full responsibility" for Thompson's slaying, his attorneys said outside court following Friday's hearing. But the state charges he faces must be dismissed as part of the New York's double jeopardy protections, they said.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and James Debens
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