Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is expected to plead guilty to federal charges, according to sources.
Mangione, 28, is scheduled to appear in Manhattan Federal Court on Friday morning. While plea negotiations are ongoing and details remain unclear, speculation suggests he may accept a plea deal for one or both federal stalking charges.
He still faces a state second-degree murder charge, multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
His state trial is set to begin next month, with the federal case slated for early next year. If convicted of the state murder charge, Mangione could face life in prison.
The Justice Department had initially sought the death penalty in the federal case, but U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett blocked that possibility in January.
Federal and state governments can prosecute for the same conduct independently. However, under New York state law, double jeopardy could apply if a prior prosecution for the same conduct results in a guilty plea or a trial resolution. This could potentially lead to the dismissal of his state charges if a federal plea deal is accepted.
Legal experts suggest a plea deal could offer Mangione a lesser sentence than if he were to proceed to trial. A plea agreement might also be structured to address the state charges, preventing a separate trial under New York's double jeopardy laws.
Mangione's legal team had previously engaged in unsuccessful plea negotiations. They have also indicated a strategy involving a psychiatric defense, planning to argue that Mangione was "extremely emotionally disturbed" at the time of the alleged killing. The judge has ordered the defense to provide Mangione's psychiatric records and unseal records from a prior secret hearing.
In a separate development, a judge ruled that the jury for Mangione's state trial will be anonymous due to the high-profile nature of the case. A questionnaire will be used to vet potential jurors. Due to anticipated public interest, an overflow room will be provided for the trial, similar to arrangements for other high-profile cases. Mangione has garnered a significant online following, and an online defense fund has raised over $1.5 million since his arrest in December 2024.