Luigi Mangione Seeks Dismissal of State Murder Case, Citing Double Jeopardy in UnitedHealthCare Killing

NEW YORK (AP) — Attorneys for Luigi Mangione asked a judge on Thursday to dismiss the state’s murder charges related to the killing. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson arguing that the New York case along with a concurrent federal death penalty trial constitutes double jeopardy.

If that does not occur, they seek to have the terrorism charges dropped and prohibit prosecutors from utilizing evidence gathered during Mangione’s arrest in December. a 9 mm handgun , ammunition, and a notebook where officials claim he detailed his plan to "take out" an insurance executive.

Mangione’s attorneys seek to bar statements he made when taken into custody by law enforcement at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania—a location approximately 230 miles (roughly 370 kilometers) west of New York City—following a five-day manhunt.

In addition, according to prosecutors, the Ivy League-educated individual apologized to law enforcement officials "for the disruption caused during the day," and also showed worry for a McDonald's worker who informed authorities about his location, stating: “Many individuals will be displeased upon learning of my arrest.”

The incident where Thompson was killed outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4 has sparked a legal dispute between state and federal prosecutors over who will determine the future of 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, according to a 57-page court document filed by his attorneys—Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Marc Agnifilo, and Jacob Kaplan.

They described the combination of simultaneous state and federal lawsuits along with an additional case in Pennsylvania related to firearms and further accusations as "an unprecedented escalation in prosecution." They suggested that prosecutors were attempting "to secure multiple opportunities to obtain a conviction against Mr. Mangione" for murder.

"Despite the severe implications for Mr. Mangione, law enforcement has systematically and intentionally violated his constitutional rights," his attorneys stated. They claim that officials interrogated him without informing him of his right to remain silent and conducted searches of his property without obtaining a warrant.

The office of the Manhattan district attorney stated they would reply through legal documents.

The defense team's requests to terminate or restrict Mangione's current state-level proceedings might foreshadow their approach in his upcoming federal murder trial, wherein prosecutors plan to pursue capital punishment. It's worth noting that under the state charges, the most severe consequence he faces is life imprisonment.

Mangione, turning 27 on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty in both cases. Since his arrest led to his swift transportation to New York via plane and helicopter, he has remained detained at a Brooklyn federal jail.

Mangione will return to court for the state case on June 26, where Judge Gregory Carro is anticipated to decide on the motion to dismiss. His upcoming federal court appearance is scheduled for December 5, which falls just one day following the first year since Thompson passed away. As of now, no trial dates have been announced for either legal proceeding.

Prosecutors stated their expectation for the state case to proceed to trial initially; however, Friedman Agnifilo mentioned last week that her preference is for the federal case to be prioritized due to its involvement of the death penalty.

In addition to attempting to have the state case dismissed, Mangione’s attorneys also requested that Carro reject accusations claiming he committed murder "as part of a terrorist activity” and labeled his actions as terrorism. The defense contends there are “no factual grounds whatsoever to back up such claims,” and they assert that indicting him using anti-terrorism laws established after 9/11 goes against what legislators intended.

The surveillance footage revealed a masked shooter firing at Thompson from behind when he was arriving for UnitedHealthcare’s yearly investor gathering. According to law enforcement, the terms "delay," "deny," and "depose" were inscribed on the bullets, echoing an expression often utilized to characterize How insurance companies evade claim payouts .

The Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, stated that the ambush "was meant to instill fear."

Mangione faces federal accusations that encompass murder involving a firearm, a charge that could result in the death penalty, alongside two counts of stalking and an additional firearms violation.

Last month, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that she instructed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to pursue the death penalty for the crime, describing it as "an act of political violence" and a "cold-blooded, premeditated assassination that stunned the nation."

The murder and subsequent manhunt that led to Mangione’s apprehension shook the local business world but also invigorated critics of health insurance, who united behind Mangione. as a stand-in For issues regarding denied coverage and large medical bills.

In their submission on Thursday, Mangione’s attorneys contended that the opposing arguments in the state and federal cases—aiming to "intimidate or coerce a civilian population" versus pursuing an individual case of harassment—have led to a “complex legal dilemma,” making it both legally and practically unfeasible to mount a defense against these charges at the same time.

"The constitutional implications of this scenario are so complex that it is challenging to locate a comparable historical example for such an unparalleled circumstance," Mangione’s attorneys stated.