NEW YORK – The man accused of shooting to death the CEO of UnitedHealthcare outside a New York City hotel is unlikely to appear again in Manhattan federal court before mid-February, after prosecutors and Attorneys on Monday asked for more time to prepare the case for trial.
The lawyers agreed in a letter to the court that the deadline to file an accusation against Luigi Mangione can be extended from January 18 to February 17.
Mangione, 26, is now charged in a criminal complaint, a document filed against individuals before an indictment is filed.
Prosecutors said they consulted with the defense and agreed that extending the deadline was necessary “to allow both parties adequate preparation for the pretrial proceedings and the trial itself.”
Mangione’s lawyers and federal prosecutors declined to comment.
The case is unusual because at least one charge carries the possibility of the death penalty, but whether that penalty is applied must be decided by the Justice Department in Washington, where top officials will be changed when President-elect Donald Trump takes office. at the end of this month. .
Authorities say Mangione shot and killed Brian Thompson on Dec. 4 as he walked to an investor conference in midtown Manhattan.
Luigi Mangione appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for his arraignment on state murder and terrorism charges for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Monday, December 23, 2024 in New York. Credit: AP/Curtis Media
The murder shocked the business community and galvanized some critics of health insurance. Mangione frequently posted online about his struggle with back pain, although he was never a UnitedHealthcare customer.
The federal charges against Mangione include murder and firearms charges. He made an initial appearance on the charges late last month. You will not be asked to enter a plea until an indictment is issued.
Mangione pleaded not guilty in a New York state court to multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism. Prosecutors have said the two cases will move forward on parallel tracks, with state charges expected to go to trial first. His next appearance in state court is scheduled for February 21.
The maximum sentence for the state charges is life in prison without parole.
Mangione was arrested Dec. 9 at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s after a five-day search. He is being held in a federal jail in Brooklyn along with several other high-profile defendants, including Sean “Diddy” Combs and cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried.
