Daijiworld Media Network – New York
New York, Jun 26: Lawyers representing Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, reportedly held discussions with federal prosecutors over a possible plea deal ahead of a scheduled court hearing on Monday. However, sources familiar with the matter said the negotiations, which had appeared close to an agreement earlier this week, have since broken down.
Mangione, 28, faces both federal and state charges in connection with the fatal shooting of Thompson in Manhattan on December 4, 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The reported plea negotiations come after Mangione's defence team recently indicated that they might pursue a psychiatric defence before later withdrawing their notice that he suffered from "extreme emotional disturbance."
Responding to reports of the plea discussions, defence attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo criticised the leaks, alleging that prosecutors and law enforcement were attempting to prejudice her client and influence public opinion.
"This information attributed to anonymous sources is part of a troubling pattern to violate Luigi's constitutional right to a fair trial and an impartial jury," she said, reiterating that Mangione is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
A federal court filing submitted on Thursday stated that both sides would be prepared to address issues related to proposed juror questionnaires and trial scheduling during Monday's hearing.
Legal experts noted that plea negotiations are common before criminal trials. They also pointed out that if a federal plea agreement is reached, New York law could potentially restrict a subsequent state prosecution arising from the same conduct.
Mangione was arrested on December 9, 2024, five days after Thompson was shot dead outside a Manhattan hotel where the UnitedHealth Group executive was due to attend the company's annual investor conference.
Investigators allege that the suspect used a 3D-printed pistol and that the ammunition bore the words "delay", "deny" and "depose" — phrases often associated with criticism of the health insurance industry.
Prosecutors have also cited a notebook allegedly recovered from Mangione in which he expressed hostility towards health insurance executives and described plans to target one.
Although federal prosecutors initially filed terrorism-related murder charges, two of those counts were later dismissed. Similarly, a New York court dismissed two terrorism-related murder charges in the state case, while allowing other charges, including weapons and stalking offences, to proceed.
If convicted on the remaining charges, Mangione could face life imprisonment. His federal trial is currently scheduled to begin in October, while the state proceedings are expected to continue separately.