Now that Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in his federal case, his legal counsel is trying to scrap his state case.
“On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan,” Mangione told the court last Friday. “I knew what I was doing.”
Now that he’s entered a plea, there will no longer be a trial in the federal case. Sentencing is set for December 18, with prosecutors saying they will be seeking life in prison, per The Associated Press.
“While nothing will ease the pain of losing him, we are grateful that the federal justice system has held the person responsible for this heinous act accountable,” Thompson’s family said in a public statement. “Now we look to the court to ensure that sentencing reflects the severity of this crime. We remain mindful that additional proceedings in New York and Pennsylvania are still to come, and we will continue to seek the justice Brian deserves.”
Soon after his guilty plea, Mangione’s legal team filed paperwork with New York Judge Gregory Carro requesting that the state case be thrown out, citing the state’s double jeopardy law.
New York’s double jeopardy law prohibits an individual from being prosecuted more than once for the same offense.
The state case was originally set for trial in September.
“It was a single tragic event, yet he’s being prosecuted twice for the same conduct,” his attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, said outside the courthouse.
The judge gave state prosecutors until Oct. 9 to respond to Mangione’s request to dismiss the case. Court will be adjourned on Dec. 10.
Despite it all, the prosecution still intends to pursue the case against Mangione, according to Fox News.
