US prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the Ivy League graduate accused of shooting dead a UnitedHealthcare CEO.
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday morning directed prosecutors to pursue capital punishment for Mangione, 26, who has a sizable base of fans supporting his anti-insurance company greed stance.
‘Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson – an innocent man and father of two young children – was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,’ stated Bondi.
‘After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again.’
One federal charge that Mangione faces, murder through use of a firearm, carries the death penalty if convicted. Federal prosecutors had been mulling whether to seek it since Mangione was accused of killing Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on December 4.
Mangione has not entered a plea to the federal charges, but has pleaded not guilty to state charges which do not make him eligible for the death penalty if convicted. Mangione faces possible life in prison without parole for a first-degree murder charge brought by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Got a story? Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. Or you can submit your videos and pictures here.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Follow Metro.co.uk on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news updates. You can now also get Metro.co.uk articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here.