Luigi Mangione’s lawyers seek to block death penalty in pivotal NYC federal court hearing

Luigi Mangione’s federal trial could begin later this year.

Mangione, 27, appeared in a New York City courtroom Friday as his lawyers try to stop the Justice Department from asking for the death penalty in his federal trial for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

The crucial hearing was Mangione’s first appearance in federal court since he pleaded not guilty for murder and stalking at his arraignment in April 2025.

The hearing focused primarily on the defense’s motion to dismiss two counts, including one that would take the death penalty off the table, if its lawyers were successful. They are seeking counts three and four: murder committed with a firearm and a firearms offence.

Mangione arrived at court shortly after 11 a.m. His legs were chained, but his hands were free. He wore a beige prison jumpsuit and shook hands with his lawyers.

Mangione’s frequent court appearances attract a crowdand a small group of his supporters gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse.

That said, the courtroom was not full. There were mostly journalists in the gallery, along with a few lawyers and members of the public.

Judge says trial date likely won’t be announced anytime soon

The lawyers discussed numerous case law with the judge during the approximately two and a half hour hearing.

The judge said the outcome of the motion to dismiss two of the charges against Mangione will impact the trial date. For this reason, a trial date was not set for Friday.

The judge and Mangione’s defense then discussed the evidence found in Mangione’s backpack, including his journal. The judge appeared to express skepticism about the defense’s argument that officers retrieving Mangione’s backpack and bringing it to the station for examination was improper.

Mangione’s defense team argued that even if the officers had the right to protect the backpack, they would not have the right to go through and inventory it without a search warrant.

The judge indicated she did not think it would be necessary to hold a separate evidentiary hearing, as was the case the case in its state trial.

In court filings, defense attorneys argued that the stalking crimes “are not ‘crimes of violence,’ as would be necessary to convict Mr. Mangione on counts three and four.”

“The murder charges say that if a gun murder is committed during the commission of a crime of violence, it can be punishable by the death penalty. And what the federal government did was they charged Mangione with stalking, and they said it was a crime of violence. And the defense says stalking is not necessarily a crime of violence,” said legal expert Richard Schoenstein.

In a court filing, prosecutors said the defense was wrong and argued for counts three and four they are required to prove that Mangione “engaged in ‘conduct’ or ‘conduct’ that placed the victim in ‘reasonable fear of death…or serious bodily injury'” and that it resulted in the victim’s death.

In court, the judge called the issue difficult.

“I want to think about it,” she said. She will issue a written decision.

All parties agreed to target jury selection in the federal trial in early September, envisioning the trial beginning later in the fall or, in the case of a capital trial, early in the winter.

The hearing ended just before 2 p.m. The next court date in his federal case is January 30.

“This particular argument is very specific to the law”

Professor at New York Law School Anna Cominsky said the key questions the federal judge will consider are whether certain charges should be dismissed and whether the death penalty should be on the table.

Mangione’s defense team is trying to get the gun killing overturned. This charge allows the federal government to seek the death penalty.

“This particular argument is very specific to the law. It’s about whether or not a crime of violence was committed in connection with the murder. There’s a lot of case law that interprets this and it’s going to be a very technical legal argument,” Cominsky said.

The judge will also determine whether the contents of Mangione’s backpack should be used as evidence at trial. The black backpack that Mangione had at the time of his arrest was also located preliminary hearing center in his New York State murder case.

The question is whether the police search of Mangione’s backpack was legal, as officers later discovered. a pistol, a silencer and a notebook inside.

Mangione’s lawyers argue that evidence found inside the bag should be excluded because police did not have a warrant.

The judge in the state case is currently deciding whether to allow proof in this trial. A decision is expected by May 18.

Mangione’s lawyers say case is tainted

Mangione’s defense attorneys say authorities damaged the case against him by twisting his arrest for filming in 2024 in a “Marvel movie show”.

They presented some arguments as to why this should not be a federal death penalty case.

Mangione’s lawyers say authorities damaged the case by turning his march into a highly choreographed spectacle and declaring their desire to see him executed. before formally charging him.

They also claim that Attorney General Pam Bondi’s previous employment at Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm whose clients include UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, is a conflict of interest.

They allege Bondi violated an agreement when she took office to recuse itself from all matters related to Ballard Partners for at least one year.

Prosecutors deny Bondi has conflict of interest

Federal prosecutors called the defense claims baseless and misleading, arguing there was no conflict of interest with the attorney general because there was no present or future financial gain.

They also argue that pretrial publicity, even intense, hardly constitutes a constitutional crisis.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges.