CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione ordered to appear in Pennsylvania court on state charges
Mangione was extradited from Pennsylvania and arrived at New York City’s South Street Helipad on December 19, 2024, amid intense media attention
By Callum Wells
Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is set to appear in a Pennsylvania courtroom on a series of state charges, including carrying a firearm without a licence.
The Blair County District Attorney’s Office has scheduled a pretrial motion hearing for November 7 and is requesting that the United States Marshal’s Service hand Mangione over to the Blair County Sheriff’s Department. He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he is working as an orderly and taking on cleaning responsibilities.
Mangione was extradited from Pennsylvania and arrived at New York City’s South Street Helipad on December 19, 2024, amid intense media attention. Authorities say he shot Thompson with a 9 mm handgun fitted with a silencer on a Midtown Manhattan street on December 4, 2024. Following a multi-day manhunt, Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty
In addition to the New York charges, Pennsylvania prosecutors have charged him with forgery, tampering with records or identification, possessing instruments of a crime, and presenting false identification to law enforcement.
Mangione also faces federal charges, where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. His legal team, led by Karen Friedman Agnifilo, must file a motion by September 19 challenging the constitutionality of capital punishment. Meanwhile, New York Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro is expected to address motions over evidence and trial scheduling at Mangione’s next state court appearance on September 16.
The case remains highly complex. In state court, Mangione faces murder-as-terrorism charges, which carry a potential life sentence. His defence is challenging both the terrorism charge and the dual prosecution, arguing that arguments in one case could be used against him in the other.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges in both New York and federal court
They are also contesting evidence seized during his December 9 arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, including a homemade “ghost gun” and a handwritten “manifesto,” which prosecutors claim demonstrate premeditation and intent.
Federal prosecutors have highlighted “aggravating factors” that could justify the death penalty, including Thompson’s high-profile role, substantial planning, and the risk to nearby bystanders. Surveillance footage from an investor conference shows Thompson being shot at close range, with a female bystander standing only a few feet away.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges in both New York and federal court. If convicted on the federal counts, he could face execution, while state convictions could see him spending the rest of his life behind bars. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the order and pace of proceedings, with both courts weighing evidence, motions, and potential trial dates.
This month, online fashion giant SHEIN launched an investigation after Mangione appeared in a now-deleted site listing.
Attitude recently dove into why September is a crucial month in his case.