Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a busy sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan, is set to be arraigned Monday in New York on state murder and terror charges. The Manhattan District Attorney's office confirmed Saturday that they are working with federal authorities for the arraignment, with the timing yet to be determined.
Mangione, 26, faces 11 counts in New York, including murder in the first and second degrees, along with weapon and forgery charges. This upcoming hearing will be his first chance to address the accusations brought by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
He was flown from Pennsylvania to New York and arrived in Lower Manhattan surrounded by law enforcement officers. A federal criminal complaint was unsealed Thursday, charging Mangione with murder, stalking, and firearms offenses. If found guilty of the federal murder charge, he could face the death penalty.
In addition to the New York charges, Mangione also faces charges in Pennsylvania related to a 3D-printed firearm and false ID allegedly in his possession during his arrest. The state and federal trials will run in parallel, with the state trial preceding the federal trial.
The push for federal charges stemmed from Mangione's interstate travel and use of facilities to plan and carry out the crime. His notebook, found in his possession, helped federal prosecutors build their case.
Mangione, a former high school valedictorian and Ivy League graduate, is believed to have been motivated by anger against the health insurance industry and corporate greed. The killing has been described as a symbolic takedown of the company's highest-ranking representative.
Writings in Mangione's notebook revealed his hostility towards the health insurance industry and wealthy executives. An entry dated August 15 indicated a well-planned homicide involving stalking his alleged victim's movements.
