Luigi Mangione says he will plead guilty in federal case

Luigi Mangione told a judge Friday he is prepared to plead guilty in his federal case at a court appearance in Manhattan Friday morning. 

Mangione, 28, faced both federal and state trials in New York for the deadly 2024 shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel. He had previously pleaded not guilty in both cases.

Thompson’s family arrived in the courtroom at around 10:50 a.m. The hearing, which had been set to start at 11 a.m., got started a bit late. The courtroom had filled press personnel as well as about two rows of members of the public. 

Mangione entered the court at around 11:10 a.m. with his feet shackled and his hands behind his back. He was wearing tan prison clothing with a white T-shirt underneath. 

Just before 11:15 a.m., Mangione’s defense team told the judge Mangione “is prepared to plead guilty to the indictment at this time.” 

The judge asked Mangione if that was correct. 

“Yes,” Mangione told the judge. 

Mangione initially faced four federal charges in Thompson’s killing. Two of those charges against him, one of which brought the possibility of the death penalty — murder through use of a firearm and an additional firearms charge — were dismissed earlier this year, and federal prosecutors said they would not appeal that decision.

That left federal stalking charges against him, which brought the possibility of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Jury selection in the federal case had been set to begin in January. 

Speculation about a possible plea deal had been rampant since Tuesday, when prosecutors and Mangione’s defense team sent a letter to the court requesting a Friday conference regarding the federal case.

What the federal plea deal means for Luigi Mangione’s state trial

The plea deal will put an end to the federal trial and raises questions about Mangione’s state trial, which is set to begin in September.

The state case, in which he faces second-degree murder charges, among others, also carries with it the possibility of life in prison.

The plea deal, however, may revive a double jeopardy argument, CBS News legal contributor Caroline Polisi said on “CBS Mornings” Thursday.

Double jeopardy refers to a law stating “a person may not be twice prosecuted for the same offense,” although there are a number of exceptions. 

“Luigi Mangione’s defense team had made that argument in the state case prior, and this could revive it, because if you actually have a conviction on the federal case, it’s a more robust double jeopardy protection in the New York state case. So we could see a motion there that could kick this state case back,” Polisi said.

Legal expert Rich Schoenstein, however, said he thinks the double jeopardy argument is “open and complicated and subject to debate.” 

Schoenstein said that’s because the federal charges Mangione is pleading guilty to are related to interstate matters and stalking, which are quite different than the second-degree murder, weapons and forged instrument charges he’s facing on a state level. 

“So the weapons and forged instrument charges would not be resolved by the federal plea, and arguably the intentional killing charge would not be resolved. I do think there’s a serious question as to whether this would be double jeopardy,” Schoenstein said.

The plea deal, however, may “put some pressure” on New York prosecutors to reach a deal too, “and therefore it could resolve the case on a negotiated level.” 

Evidence in the Luigi Mangione case

Key evidence seized during Mangione’s Pennsylvania arrest had been expected to be admitted in the federal trial, including a 3D-printed handgun, loaded magazine, a notebook and more.

Thompson, 50, was killed on Dec. 4, 2024, as he arrived at a hotel for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. The killing  of the husband and father of two was caught on surveillance video, which showed Thompson being shot in the back as he walked down the street. Police say the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on the ammunition, echoing a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Thompson’s killing set off a frantic multistate manhunt that ended with Mangione’s arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, five days later.

This is a developing story. Check back soon for more information.