U.S. to Pursue Death Penalty Against Luigi Mangione

On Thursday, U.S. prosecutors told a New York court that they intend to seek the death sentence for Luigi Mangione. He is accused of killing a UnitedHealth Group executive last year.

Mangione will appear before a Manhattan federal court on Friday for arraignment. He has also pleaded guilty to the separate New York State indictment that he faces for the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth Insurance Division.

Pam Bondi, the U.S. attorney general, announced earlier this month that the Justice Department will seek the death sentence for Mangione. The Manhattan U.S. attorney’s office filed a court document on Thursday formally stating the intent of prosecutors to impose the death penalty.

Mangione’s lawyers claim that Bondi’s announcement on April 1 was “unapologetically political” and violated government protocol for death penalty decisions.