Luigi Mangione pleads guilty in federal case, admits shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson

Luigi Mangione entered a guilty plea in his federal case at a court appearance in Manhattan Friday morning, admitting to the judge that he shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown hotel in 2024.

Mangione, 28, faced both federal and state trials in New York for the deadly shooting. He had previously pleaded not guilty in both cases.

Sentencing in the federal case will take place on Dec. 18, with Mangione facing a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.

His state trial is currently set to begin in September. Mangione's defense team said they've filed for state charges to be dismissed under New York's double jeopardy law.

What happened in court

Thompson's family arrived in the courtroom at around 10:50 a.m. The hearing, which had been set to start at 11 a.m., got started a bit late. The courtroom had filled press personnel as well as about two rows of members of the public. 

Mangione entered the court at around 11:10 a.m. with his feet shackled and his hands behind his back. He was wearing tan prison clothing with a white T-shirt underneath. 

Just before 11:15 a.m., Mangione's defense team told the judge Mangione "is prepared to plead guilty to the indictment at this time." 

The judge asked Mangione if that was correct. 

"Yes," Mangione told the judge. 

The judge then asked Mangione a series of questions about his background and use of medications and drugs. The judge then found Mangione to be fully competent to enter the plea. 

The judge told Mangione that the maximum possible sentence is life in prison followed by supervised release. The judge added that there's no parole in the federal system, although good behavior and other programs can impact how long he will spend in prison. He will be required to serve 85% of the sentence, the judge said. 

The judge pointed out that there's no plea agreement between the defense and prosecution, and Mangione's defense attorney said that's correct. 

Mangione's admission in court

Mangione then told the court in his own words what he did. 

He told the court that he had for years endured severe pain for a broken back and had navigated the health insurance system. He told the court he learned about the UnitedHealthcare annual investor conference in New York even though it wasn't publicized, and traveled to it. He told the court he posed as an investor to find out more information about the conference. 

He told the court he used a 3D printer to make parts of the gun, and traveled to New York with the gun, silencer, and magazine with "the intent to shoot Brian Thompson." 

He said he shot Thompson in Manhattan knowing it would place him in fear of death or serious bodily injury. 

Prosecutors then spoke in court, reviewing the evidence against Mangione. They pointed to video capturing the shooting, as well as Mangione fleeing the scene on the bicycle, his arrest in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the recovered pistol and shell casings, as well as DNA found at the crime scene. Prosecutors said entries in Mangione's notebook expressed his desire to kill a health care executive. 

"Mr. Mangione, how do you now plead to counts one and two of the indictment," the judge asked. 

"Guilty," Mangione said. 

"I will accept your guilty plea," the judge said. 

About the charges

Mangione initially faced four federal charges in Thompson's killing. Two of those charges against him, one of which brought the possibility of the death penalty — murder through use of a firearm and an additional firearms charge — were dismissed earlier this year, and federal prosecutors said they would not appeal that decision.

That left federal stalking charges against him, which brought the possibility of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Jury selection in the federal case had been set to begin in January. 

Speculation about a possible plea deal had been rampant since Tuesday, when prosecutors and Mangione's defense team sent a letter to the court requesting a Friday conference regarding the federal case.

Luigi Mangione's state trial and double jeopardy concerns

Mangione's attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo spoke after Mangione entered his guilty plea to federal charges. 

"Despite this being a single isolated event, Mr. Mangione has been unfairly treated since the outset in every way, and has successfully fought off terrorism charges and the death penalty, while also fighting at the same time two simultaneous prosecutions in two jurisdictions who are trying to punish him twice for the exact conduct," Agnifilo said. "New York law does not permit a person to be prosecuted and punished twice for the exact same crime under a statute that covers successive prosecutions, it's also known as the double jeopardy law.

"Today's guilty plea triggers this statute, and we just filed our motion in state court explaining why the state charges must be dismissed under New York's double jeopardy protections," Agnifilo said. 

Mangione's state trial is set to begin in September.

The state case, in which he faces second-degree murder charges, among others, also carries with it the possibility of life in prison.

Double jeopardy refers to a law stating "a person may not be twice prosecuted for the same offense," although there are a number of exceptions. 

"Luigi Mangione's defense team had made that argument in the state case prior, and this could revive it, because if you actually have a conviction on the federal case, it's a more robust double jeopardy protection in the New York state case. So we could see a motion there that could kick this state case back," CBS News legal contributor Caroline Polisi said on "CBS Mornings" Thursday.

Legal expert Rich Schoenstein, however, said he thinks the double jeopardy argument is "open and complicated and subject to debate." 

Schoenstein said that's because the federal charges Mangione is pleading guilty to are related to interstate matters and stalking, which are quite different than the second-degree murder, weapons and forged instrument charges he's facing on a state level. 

"So the weapons and forged instrument charges would not be resolved by the federal plea, and arguably the intentional killing charge would not be resolved. I do think there's a serious question as to whether this would be double jeopardy," Schoenstein said.

The plea deal, however, may "put some pressure" on New York prosecutors to reach a deal too, "and therefore it could resolve the case on a negotiated level." 

Evidence in the Luigi Mangione case

Key evidence seized during Mangione's Pennsylvania arrest had been expected to be admitted in the federal trial, including a 3D-printed handgun, loaded magazine, a notebook and more.

Thompson, 50, was killed on Dec. 4, 2024, as he arrived at a hotel for UnitedHealth Group's annual investor conference. The killing  of the husband and father of two was caught on surveillance video, which showed Thompson being shot in the back as he walked down the street. Police say the words "delay," "deny" and "depose" were written on the ammunition, echoing a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

Thompson's killing set off a frantic multistate manhunt that ended with Mangione's arrest at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, five days later.

This is a developing story. Check back soon for more information.