Luigi Mangione is scheduled for arraignment on Monday in a Manhattan court on state murder and terrorism charges stemming from the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He faces eleven charges, including the most serious count of first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism. The arraignment will be presided over by Judge Gregory Carro. A Manhattan grand jury upgraded the charges against the 26-year-old Mangione last week to include this top charge. Additional state charges include two counts of second-degree murder (one specified as an act of terrorism), two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument. A conviction on the state charges carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment without parole.
Concurrently, Mangione faces federal charges, one of which—murder through the use of a firearm—could result in the death penalty if he is convicted. These federal charges are in addition to separate charges pending against him in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested and faces counts of forgery and possession of an unlicensed firearm. Mangione was transported to New York on December 19th after waiving extradition in Pennsylvania. Upon arrival, he was immediately taken into federal custody. His defense attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, stated that he would not initially contest pretrial detention.
Later that same day, following the unsealing of a federal criminal complaint charging him with stalking and murdering Brian Thompson, Mangione made his initial appearance in Manhattan federal court and did not enter a plea. Agnifilo described the situation as highly unusual, noting that the state and federal cases appear to present conflicting theories: the state alleging terrorism against a group, while the federal case focuses on the individual stalking and murder of Thompson. The judge instructed the parties to confer. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s spokesperson, Danielle Filson, confirmed that the state case will proceed independently of the federal case. Mangione’s next federal court date is scheduled for January 18th.