Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges of murder and stalking in a packed federal courthouse in New York City, as crowds of supporters, onlookers, and the curious gathered outside.
Lines to witness the 26 year old’s arraignment began forming as early as 5 p.m. Thursday evening, stretching around the courthouse entrance. Mangione stands accused of fatally ambushing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a husband and father of two, outside a Midtown hotel on December 4, 2024. According to investigators, Thompson was on his way to an investors’ conference when he was shot in the back on a busy sidewalk.
The case, marked by Mangione’s dramatic capture at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, has polarized public opinion, with some decrying him as a cold-blooded killer and others viewing him as a political martyr. Mangione faces charges in both state and federal courts.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced earlier this month that federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty. Bondi described the killing as “a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.”
Among those at the courthouse Friday was former Army intelligence analyst and whistleblower Chelsea Manning, who voiced concerns over the speed of the legal proceedings.
“This case is being speed run in an unprecedented manner… with two cases running simultaneously, and one of them is a death penalty case,” Manning told reporters. “We don’t speed run justice. That’s not how our system is supposed to work.”
When pressed, Manning declined to characterize herself as a Mangione supporter, emphasizing instead her support for a fair judicial process.
Adding to the charged atmosphere outside the courthouse was a circulating truck displaying digital screens of Mangione’s perp walk alongside captions like: “LUIGI is caught in a high-stakes GAME of tug-of-war, except the TROPHY is a young man’s LIFE.”
Supporters in the crowd voiced their grievances against UnitedHealthcare and broader systemic issues. One woman, wearing a black leather jacket and sunglasses, argued that insurance company denials amounted to “legal murder.”
“If you’re going to deny a child with cancer care, that’s murder,” she said. “Whether it’s pulling a trigger or pushing a denial letter, you’re ending lives.”
She also blasted Bondi’s decision to publicly celebrate seeking the death penalty, calling it “state-sanctioned murder,” and pointed out inconsistencies in death penalty applications, referencing high-profile mass shooters who avoided execution.
Inside the courtroom, Judge Margaret Garnett issued a sharp reminder to prosecutors, instructing them to advise Bondi that public commentary could jeopardize Mangione’s right to a fair trial.
Mangione, shackled and dressed in a tan and white prison uniform, cut a subdued figure compared to his last appearance, where he wore a preppy green cable-knit sweater and a bulletproof vest. That prior appearance drew controversy after two heart-shaped notes of support were found hidden inside his socks, prompting concerns over preferential treatment.
During Friday’s arraignment, Mangione sat attentively between his lawyers, Marc Agnifilo and Avraham Moskowitz, who recently joined the team as a death penalty specialist. Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a prominent attorney and Marc Agnifilo’s wife, led the defense in court.
Throughout the hearing, Mangione took notes and watched the proceedings closely, occasionally leaning back pensively as he gripped his pen.
A key unresolved issue remains: which trial will proceed first, state or federal. Prosecutors favor beginning with the New York State trial, citing the capital charges, while the defense is pushing for the federal case to start, arguing it presents complex constitutional questions.
“We will set the schedule for this case as though it is the only case,” Judge Garnett said, signaling a tough road ahead in this unprecedented legal battle.
Mangione remains held without bail as both sides brace for what is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched trials in recent memory.
