Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty on Friday to federal stalking charges in Manhattan Federal Court, admitting that he fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024, according to reporting by Reuters. Mangione entered his plea without a deal with prosecutors, leaving his sentence entirely up to U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett.
Federal Guilty Plea and Courtroom Confession
Appearing in court in beige prison garb, 28-year-old Mangione read from a prepared statement and admitted directly to the killing, according to Reuters. “I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan and he died,” Mangione told the court, adding criticism of the U.S. health insurance system and stating he had navigated obstacles with his insurance after suffering a broken back.
The guilty plea averts a federal trial for the killing of the 50-year-old healthcare executive, which sparked widespread public debate regarding insurance industry practices. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett scheduled Mangione’s sentencing for December 18, noting that each count carries a possible life sentence, per Reuters. Prosecutors stated they will seek the maximum sentence of life in prison.
Impact on Pending New York State Charges
Mangione’s federal guilty plea allowed his defense attorneys to file a motion to dismiss separate state murder and weapons charges ahead of a scheduled New York trial, according to Reuters. The defense motion argues under New York’s double jeopardy laws that Mangione should not face punishment twice for the same conduct.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald told reporters that his office made no accommodations or concessions to Mangione during the proceedings. “No grievance or ideological cause can ever justify murder,” McDonald said, according to Reuters reporting.
Reactions From Victims and Legal Proceedings
Brian Thompson’s widow sat in the front row of the gallery during the hearing alongside family members, visibly emotional as Mangione confessed to the shooting, Reuters reported. The family released a statement calling the plea an “important step toward justice” and urged the court to ensure the final sentence reflects the severity of the crime.
Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania following a five-day manhunt after the December 2024 shooting outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel. While federal prosecutors initially pursued the death penalty, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett blocked that penalty in January.