Luigi Mangione denies murdering UnitedHealthcare chief executive

The man accused of fatally shooting the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare has pleaded not guilty to murder and terror charges in a state case that will run parallel to his federal prosecution.

Luigi Mangione, 26, was shackled and seated in a Manhattan court when he leaned over to a microphone to enter his plea over the killing of Brian Thompson.

He was formally charged last week by the Manhattan district attorney with multiple counts of murder, including murder as an act of terrorism.

Mangione’s initial appearance in New York’s state’s trial court was pre-empted by federal prosecutors bringing their own charges over the shooting.

The federal charges could carry the possibility of the death penalty, while the maximum sentence for the state charges is life in prison without parole.

Prosecutors have said the two cases will proceed on parallel tracks, with the state charges expected to go to trial first.

One of Mangione’s lawyers told the judge that government officials, including New York mayor Eric Adams, have turned the accused into a political pawn, robbing him of his rights as a defendant and tainting the jury pool.

“I am very concerned about my client’s right to a fair trial,” said Karen Friedman Agnifilo.

“This is a young man,” she said. “He is being treated like a human ping-pong ball between warring jurisdictions here.”

State trial court Judge Gregory Carro responded that he has little control over what happens outside the courtroom, but said he can guarantee that Mangione will receive a fair trial.

Authorities say Mangione gunned down Mr Thompson as he was walking to an investor conference in mid-town Manhattan on the morning of December 4.

Mangione was arrested in a Pennsylvania McDonald’s after a five-day search, carrying a gun that matched the one used in the shooting and a fake ID, police said. He also was carrying a notebook expressing hostility towards the health insurance industry and especially wealthy executives, according to federal prosecutors.

At a news conference announcing the state charges last Tuesday, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said the application of the terrorism law reflected the severity of a “frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation”.

“In its most basic terms, this was a killing that was intended to evoke terror,” he added. “And we’ve seen that reaction.”

Mangione was extradited from Pennsylvania on Thursday and quickly rushed to New York City, where he was seen wearing an orange jumpsuit as he was led away from a helicopter by heavily armed police officers and New York City mayor Eric Adams.

Mr Thompson, a married father of two, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group for 20 years and became chief executive of its insurance arm in 2021.

The killing has prompted some to voice their resentment at US health insurers, with Mangione serving as a stand-in for frustrations over coverage denials and hefty medical bills.

It also has sent shockwaves through the corporate world, rattling executives who say they have received a spike in threats.

Published: 23/12/2024 by Radio NewsHub