Mangione in Court as Reports Hint at Guilty Plea in CEO Killing

Luigi Mangione, the man charged in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is scheduled to appear in a Manhattan federal courtroom on Friday. The hearing was jointly requested by his lawyers and federal prosecutors, though no reason was given publicly. Reports indicate Mangione may enter a guilty plea, though the terms of any deal remain unclear and could shift before or during the proceeding.

A guilty plea would avoid a trial in the federal case, which has drawn intense public attention since Thompson was fatally shot on a Manhattan sidewalk in December 2024. The killing sparked widespread debate over health insurance practices in the U.S. Mangione had previously pleaded not guilty to federal murder, weapons, and stalking charges in April 2025.

In a surprise ruling in January, a federal judge dismissed the murder and weapons charges on legal technicalities, removing the possibility of the death penalty. Mangione still faces stalking charges that could carry a sentence of life without parole. His federal trial had been set for January.

Separately, Mangione faces state charges brought by the Manhattan District Attorney's office, including murder, weapons, and forgery. A judge threw out the terrorism charge in September 2025. That trial is scheduled to begin September 8 before Justice Gregory Carro. If convicted of second-degree murder, Mangione could receive 25 years to life in prison.

Should Mangione plead guilty in the federal case, he is expected to argue that New York's double jeopardy law bars the state murder prosecution. Prosecutors are likely to oppose that move, contending the charges are legally distinct. The losing side would probably seek an emergency appeal.

Thompson was shot in the early morning of December 4, 2024, outside a hotel hosting an investor conference. The killing was captured on video, and a five-day manhunt ended with Mangione's arrest in Pennsylvania.