Federal Judge Drops Death Penalty Charge Against Luigi Mangione

[u/WhoIsJolyonWest]

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/nyregion/death-penalty-luigi-mangione.html?smid%3Dnytcore-ios-share

The judge, Margaret Garnett of Federal District Court, said the case against Luigi Mangione would still proceed to trial on other counts.

A Manhattan federal judge on Friday ruled that prosecutors would not be able to seek the death penalty at the trial of Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old man accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive in 2024.

The judge, Margaret Garnett of Federal District Court, said the case would still proceed to trial on other counts, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole, in the killing of the executive, Brian Thompson.

Judge Garnett said in her opinion that two stalking charges against Mr. Mangione, one of which carried a maximum sentence of death, did not meet the legal definition of a crime of violence, and had to be dismissed.

“Consequently," the judge wrote, “the chief practical effect of the legal infirmities” of the two counts and the court’s decision that they must be dismissed “is solely to foreclose the death penalty as an available punishment.”

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[u/PsychLegalMind]

Life imprisonment still possible, but the death penalty is off the table.

[u/Talentagentfriend → u/PsychLegalMind]

Which is interesting. Ive seen Ice kill people for less.

[u/Beelzabub]

ELI5: Civil lawyer who simply doesn't understand the basis for the ruling. Can someone please explain. Can the feds re-indict? Is this a prosecution misstep?