Man Arraigned in NYC for Murder of UnitedHealth Executive, Faces Federal Charges
Luigi Mangione, 26, is scheduled to appear in a New York state court Monday morning for his arraignment on murder and weapons charges stemming from the fatal shooting of a top UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive, Bloomberg reports.
The arraignment marks the first formal response to the charges by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg from Mangione and his attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo. The exact time of the hearing has not yet been released.
The arraignment was initially slated for last week, but was postponed after federal prosecutors filed their own charges against Mangione. While both the state and federal cases will move forward concurrently, the Justice Department has indicated that the state case is expected to go to trial first.
According to prosecutors, Mangione, a Maryland native, allegedly ambushed Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, outside a midtown Manhattan hotel on December 4th. Thompson had just attended an investor meeting. Authorities state Mangione used a 3D-printed ghost gun in the attack. Following the shooting, Mangione fled Manhattan, triggering a five-day manhunt that concluded with his arrest at a McDonald’s in western Pennsylvania.
Mangione is expected to enter a plea on multiple counts at Monday’s arraignment. New York prosecutors have elevated the state charges to first-degree murder, a charge typically reserved for heinous crimes such as the killing of a police officer or acts of terrorism. Manhattan District Attorney Bragg stated that the move reflects the “abhorrent conduct” displayed by Mangione’s alleged actions. Mangione also faces two counts of second-degree murder, multiple weapons charges, and one count of possessing a forged driver’s license.
The federal criminal complaint, brought by the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, adds another layer of complexity to the case. While the charges in the federal case aren’t detailed in the article, Mangione’s lawyer has said they make the case “death eligible,” though prosecutors have not yet announced whether they will seek the death penalty.
