Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to federal death penalty charge in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing

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Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to federal death penalty charge in UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing

2025-04-26 06:33 Last Updated At：06:41

NEW YORK (AP) — Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty Friday to a federal murder charge in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Prosecutors formally declared their intent to seek the death penalty, and the judge warned Justice Department officials to refrain from making public comments that could spoil his right to a fair trial.

Mangione, 26, stood between his lawyers and leaned toward a tabletop microphone as he entered the plea in Manhattan federal court. He responded “yes” when U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett asked if he understood the indictment that charges him with gunning down Thompson outside a midtown hotel last December.

Asked how he wished to plead, Mangione said simply “not guilty” and sat down.

A cause célèbre for people upset with the health insurance industry, Mangione’s federal arraignment drew dozens of people to court, including former Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning, who served prison time for stealing classified diplomatic cables.

Some lined up for hours in front of the courthouse steps, trying to snag a seat inside. Others rallied across the street as a pair of advertising trucks drove around playing videos denouncing the health insurance industry and the death penalty.

Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, faces separate murders in federal and state court, where he faces a maximum punishment of life in prison.

Prosecutors had expected the state case go to trial first, but Mangione’s lawyers said Friday that they want the federal case to take precedent because it involves the death penalty. Because of the many legal issues involved in capital cases, Mangione’s federal case will move at a slower pace than non-death penalty prosecutions.

Mangione is next due in federal court on Dec. 5, a day after the one-year anniversary of Thompson’s death. His next appearance in the state case is set for June 26. No trial date has been set in either case.

Mangione, held in a federal jail in Brooklyn since his arrest, arrived to court Friday in a mustard-colored jail suit and chatted with one of his lawyers, death penalty counsel Avi Moskowitz, as they waited for the arraignment to begin.

Late Thursday night, federal prosecutors filed a required notice of their intent to seek the death penalty. That came weeks after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that she would be directing federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for what she called “an act of political violence" and a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.”

It was the first time the Justice Department said it was pursuing capital punishment since President Donald Trump returned to the White House on Jan. 20 with a vow to resume federal executions after they were halted under the previous administration.

Mangione’s lawyers argue that Bondi’s announcement — which she followed with posts on Instagram account and a TV appearance — was a “political stunt” that violated long-established Justice Department protocols, corrupted the grand jury process and deprived him of his constitutional right to due process.

After Mangione lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo raised the issue again on Friday, Garnett instructed federal prosecutors to convey to Bondi and other Justice Department officials that court rules prohibit any pretrial publicity that could interfere with a defendant’s right to a fair trial.

Mangione’s federal indictment includes a charge of murder through use of a firearm, which carries the possibility of the death penalty. The indictment also charges him with stalking and a gun offense.

Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind as the executive arrived for UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference. Police say the words “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase commonly used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

The killing and ensuing five-day search leading to Mangione’s arrest rattled the business community while galvanizing health insurance critics who rallied around Mangione as a stand-in for frustrations over coverage denials and hefty bills.

Mangione was arrested Dec. 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City and whisked to Manhattan by plane and helicopter.

Police said Mangione had a 9mm handgun that matched the one used in the shooting and other items including a notebook in which they say he expressed hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives.

Among the entries, prosecutors said, was one from last August that said “the target is insurance” because “it checks every box” and one from October that describes an intent to “wack” an insurance CEO. UnitedHealthcare, the largest U.S. health insurer, has said Mangione was never a client.

Celebrities embrace black and old Hollywood glamour for Golden Globes red carpet

Ariana Grande, Teyana Taylor, Timothée Chalamet and a sea of other stars said goodbye to color at this year's Golden Globes, opting instead for black. And many in the crowd stuck with tried and true old Hollywood glamour Sunday.

But even in basic black, the red carpet had plenty of personal flourishes and playful embellishments.

Risk-takers Taylor, a winner for “One Battle After Another,” and Jenna Ortega went with “whale tails,” aka the tops of thongs, peeking out the backs of their black gowns. Taylor did it with her custom slinky Schiaparelli gown that showed off a deep low-cut back with a glittery low-hanging bow thong. Ortega, keeping it goth, wore a Dilara Findikoglu gown with black shoulder tassels and a black thong.

“I thought that was such a cheeky callback to Y2K fashion,” InStyle Fashion Director Kevin Huynh said. “I was just like, wow, you wouldn’t expect that on a red carpet.”

Grande left behind her “Wicked” character's signature pink color for a black Vivienne Westwood couture dress but brought back her ponytail. Other notable celebrities in black included Ayo Edebiri, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus and Mia Goth.

Edebiri chose a black off-the-shoulder Chanel dress embellished with jewels on the shoulders from Matthieu Blazy’s Métiers d’Art 2026 show.

Celebrities held onto their gowns and watched their steps as they posed for photos on high stairs that served as the red carpet. Like the Met Gala, they lined up at the bottom and had to perilously climb their way up.

The 83rd Golden Globes gives a glimpse into how celebrities will showcase their original take on fashion as the awards season progresses. Since 1944, the show has honored the best in film and television.

The carpet, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, is a chance for nominees to make a statement, though some are beholden to fashion houses who pay them as ambassadors.

Several, including George Clooney, wore Giorgio Armani. The fashion world lost Armani in September, but his eponymous brand lives on.

“It was nice to see so many attendees, including Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson, wearing the brand and pay tribute,” said Véronique Hyland, fashion features director for Elle.

Not all celebrities followed the black dress trend.

Host Nikki Glaser, who held hosting duty for the second time, wore a strapless satin blush-pink corseted satin gown with a full skirt by Zuhair Murad. Emma Stone stunned in a butter yellow Louis Vuitton skirt set.

“Sinners” star Wunmi Mosaku stunned in a flowy yellow Matthew Reisman gown. The mother-to-be revealed her baby bump on the carpet. Mosaku's co-star Hailee Steinfeld showed off her pregnant figure on the carpet in a peach colored gown.

Stars shone in metallics. “Sentimental Value” actor Renate Reinsve twirled on the carpet in a shimmery silver tasseled dress by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton. Her co-star Elle Fanning's Gucci dress was embroidered with Norwegian flowers in honor of their Norwegian drama film.

Rising star Chase Infiniti reflected back the carpet and all its stars in her mirrored corseted gown by Nicolas Ghesquiere for Louis Vuitton.

“She’s now Louis Vuitton ambassador, which I think kind of shows her potential as a star,” Vanity Fair style writer José Criales-Unzueta said. “So much of what happens behind the scenes helps define what we’re looking at, whether it’s a deal, whether it sponsorship, whether it is brand ambassadorship.”

Claire Danes eschewed the academic, laid-back tailored looks of her “Beast in Me” character for an effortlessly elegant, couture gown designed by her close friend Zac Posen for GapStudio. Posen and Danes’ friendship and creative collaboration began in high school.

Posen began working on Danes' Golden Globe gown in November. As both creative director for Gap and GapStudio designer, Posen told The Associated Press that elevating the American essential into eveningwear is part of his creative process for the brand.

For Danes' look, Posen transformed the concept of the classic Gap pocket T-shirt into an off-white silk jersey couture gown with subtle bugle beaded detailing and embroidery. The shimmering dress featured a low scoop back and front pocket detail.

“Claire has a great elegance to her and is deeply inherently sophisticated, but yet cool,” Posen said. “Those elements fit perfectly with one of our icons that has built and defined our brands, the pocket tee.

Celebrities are keeping the sheer dressing trend alive with no signs of it slowing down. Lisa of Blackpink wore a black sheer Jacquemus dress, and Jennifer Lopez posed in a see-through dress by Jean-Louis Scherrer.

Jennifer Lawrence walked the carpet in a floral sheer dress by Sarah Burton at Givenchy and accessorized her look with a glamorous floral silk stole.

“Just to go out in a naked dress that leaves very little to the imagination is one thing but what Jennifer Lawrence did was such a romantic approach to it,” Huynh said. “I think that really says a lot to Sarah Burton, the designer of Givenchy. She is a woman designing for women.”

The male nominees didn’t stray too far from traditional looks. Colman Domingo pared down his typical colorful suits for a black suit by Valentino adorned with silver leaf brooches down his lapel. Timothée Chalamet, a winner for “Marty Supreme,” has become one to watch for his fashion choices. Departing from his past colorful looks, Chalamet wore a black velvet vest and jacket from Chrome Hearts with black Timberland boots. Chalamet's partner of three years, Kylie Jenner, did not walk the carpet with the actor, but viewers captured her in a custom silver column look by Ashi Studio. It was hand-embroidered with a fan-shaped crystal bead neckline.

After his viral premiere orange look for “Marty Supreme,” Criales-Unzueta said Chalamet decided on a more traditional movie star style by choosing all black.

“Heated Rivalry” star Hudson Williams brought the cummerbund back but with a laid-back twist. The breakout star paired a white-peak lapel dinner jacket with an unbuttoned silk shirt. Williams, along with his co-star Connor Storrie, were presenters during the ceremony. Storrie wore a black tuxedo jacket by Saint Laurent, with black tie and shades.

“It’s really just sexy takes on classic menswear with just those little bit of edge to things,” Huynh said.

Jenna Rosenstein, beauty director for Harper’s Bazaar, noted Storrie's hair transformation. He plastered his trademark curly locks into a shaggy, retro-inspired mullet. Among the women, beauty highlights included the swoopy bobs of Edebiri and Gomez, she said.

“If there’s one thing you should invest in after this carpet, it’s a really good round brush, a can of hairspray and a statement lipstick,” Rosenstein said.

AP writer Leanne Italie contributed to this report.

For more coverage of the 2026 Golden Globe Awards, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/golden-globe-awards