Attorney General Pam Bondi has instructed prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.
The attorney general released a statement on Tuesday announcing that the death penalty is on the table for Mangione.
Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America. After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi Directs Prosecutors to Seek Death Penalty for Luigi Mangione
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) April 1, 2025
🔗: https://t.co/4h453EbjJu pic.twitter.com/EdQQto8ezD
This order is in line with a memo Bondi issued on her first day as attorney general announcing that the federal government is reviving the death penalty.
“Since our Nation’s founding, the federal government, and nearly every state, has relied upon the death penalty as a just punishment for the most egregious crimes,” Bondi wrote. “The American people, through their elected representatives, have repeatedly reaffirmed the effectiveness of capital punishment in deterring crime, achieving justice for victims, and closure for their loved ones.”
“Going forward, the Department of Justice will once again act as the law demands—including by seeking death sentences in appropriate cases and swiftly implementing those sentences in accordance with the law,” Bondi added.
NEW: Attorney General Pam Bondi is seeking the death penalty for Luigi Mangione.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 1, 2025
Mangione was charged with the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City.
"After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in… pic.twitter.com/ZGC7n1Yaex
Mangione allegedly shot and killed Thompson on December 4, 2024, outside a hotel in Manhattan. Surveillance footage showed a man approaching Thompson, pulling out a pistol, and shooting him repeatedly.
The authorities located and arrested Mangione in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a days-long manhunt. The suspect has pleaded not guilty.
Mangione has received an outpouring of support from those frustrated by America’s healthcare system. The authorities found the suspect’s writings in which railed against the healthcare industry.
The defendant’s fans set up a GiveSendGo page to raise money for his legal defense. So far, they have raised $7766.296 as of this writing.