Federal Judge Dismisses Capital Murder Charge Against Luigi Mangione, Removing Death Penalty Option
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett has dismissed a federal murder charge against Luigi Mangione, ruling the specific count technically flawed and effectively ending the government’s ability to seek the death penalty in the federal case. The decision, issued on Friday, centers on the legal classification of the charges. Judge Garnett found that the interstate stalking allegations brought by prosecutors did not meet the statutory definition of a “crime of violence” required to serve as the underlying predicate for the specific capital murder charge under federal law. Consequently, the court also dismissed a related count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The ruling represents a procedural defeat for the Department of Justice, which, under the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi, had explicitly sought capital punishment for the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. While the prosecution argued that the nature of the alleged stalking and subsequent execution-style shooting inherently constituted a crime of violence, the court adhered to narrower Supreme Court precedents regarding statutory interpretation. Prosecutors may appeal the decision, but as it stands, the maximum federal penalty Mangione faces is life in prison without parole.
Despite the dismissal of the capital charge, Mangione remains in custody and faces severe legal peril. The federal stalking charges, which were upheld by the judge, still carry a potential life sentence. Additionally, Mangione is facing a separate, concurrent prosecution by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office in New York state court. In that jurisdiction, he is charged with second-degree murder and weapons possession. The state case is expected to proceed independently, and a conviction there would also result in a substantial prison term, ensuring that the dismissal of the single federal count does not equate to exoneration or release.
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