Luigi Mangione, the man who is accused of gunning down former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will not face the death penalty after prosecutors decided not to appeal a Manhattan judge’s ruling.
The Department of Justice said in a <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/luigi-mangione-death-penalty-federal-prosecutors/">letter</a> Friday that it “will not seek interlocutory review” of the judge’s decision.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed two of the four charges against Mangione, including use of a firearm to commit murder, which made him eligible for the death penalty.
Garnett said she dismissed the charges “solely to preclude the death penalty as an available punishment when the jury determines if the Defendant caused Brian Thompson’s death,” The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-says-prosecutors-cant-pursue-death-penalty-against-luigi-mangione">reported</a> at the time.
The federal charge against Mangione that made him eligible for the death penalty accused him of “using a firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a crime of violence.”
In her ruling, Garnett said the stalking offense did not constitute a “crime of violence,” and prosecutors would need to show Mangione killed Thompson while committing another “crime of violence,” NBC <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/luigi-mangione-death-penalty-rcna261080">reported</a>.
Mangione still faces two counts of interstate stalking. If convicted, he would face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all federal and state charges.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi previously directed prosecutors to seek the death penalty last year after Mangione was arrested for the murder of Thompson.
“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Bondi said at the time.
Thompson was gunned down from behind in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, as he was walking to a hotel during his company’s annual investor conference. Mangione’s fingerprints allegedly matched those found on shell casings at the murder scene.
Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, following a five-day manhunt, and police found a firearm, suppressor, and what appeared to be a manifesto in the man’s backpack.
Opening arguments for the trial are scheduled to begin in October, with jury selection set for September 8.
In addition to the federal charges, Mangione faces nine counts, including second-degree murder, in a separate state case scheduled to begin June 8, NBC reported.

Luigi Mangione

DOJ Drops Fight For Death Penalty In Luigi Mangione Assassination Case

Courts

Crime

Murder

Pam Bondi

U.S.

Suspected assassin Luigi Mangione spoke out in court on Friday after a New York judge set his state trial date for June 8.
As he was being escorted out of the courtroom, Mangione raged against the state trial moving forward, as he also faces a federal trial. Mangione faces multiple state charges, including second-degree murder related to the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all state and federal charges.
&#8220;One plus one equals two. This is the same trial twice,&#8221; Mangione said, according to <a href="https://www.fox5ny.com/news/luigi-mangione-double-jeopardy-claim">Fox 5 New York</a>. &#8220;This is double jeopardy by any common sense definition.&#8221;
The suspected assassin was unexpectedly ordered back in court on Friday by Manhattan state Judge Gregory Carro. His next appearance in state court wasn&#8217;t scheduled until May. Mangione&#8217;s lawyer objected to the June 8 trial start date, arguing that the defense team would also be preparing for the federal trial at that time.
“Mr. Mangione is being put in an untenable situation,” defense lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo said, according to the Associated Press. “This is a tug-of-war between two different prosecution offices.&#8221;
&#8220;The defense will not be ready on June 8,&#8221; she added.
&#8220;Be ready,&#8221; the judge replied.
Jury selection for Mangione&#8217;s federal trial was set for September 8, with opening statements scheduled for October 13. Last week, the judge overseeing Mangione&#8217;s federal trial <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-says-prosecutors-cant-pursue-death-penalty-against-luigi-mangione?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Federal+Judge+Says+Prosecutors+Can%E2%80%99t+Pursue+Death+Penalty+Against+Luigi+Mangione">dropped</a> the murder charge that carried a potential death penalty.
In a surprising twist to the federal trial, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett agreed with Mangione’s defense team and said that stalking does not constitute “a crime of violence.” The judge acknowledged that her decision was “strange,” but argued that violence is defined by using force, and stalking could technically be committed without using force, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-latest-judge-rule-death-penalty-stays/story?id=129677290">reported</a>.
Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Joel Seidemann argued for Mangione&#8217;s state trial to begin before the federal trial, saying that the state’s interests &#8220;would be unfairly prejudiced by an unnecessary delay.&#8221; Seidemann also told the judge that Thompson&#8217;s family wants the state trial to proceed first, which would also help prosecutors avoid a double jeopardy challenge. New York state law could prevent Mangione from being tried at the state level if his federal trial comes first.
Judge Carro said on Friday, &#8220;It appears the federal government has reneged on its agreement to let the state, which has done most of the work in this case, go first.&#8221;
In May, Carro will decide whether prosecutors can use evidence seized from Mangione when he was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Investigators say that Mangione was found with a 9 mm handgun that connects him to the crime scene and a notebook, where Mangione allegedly discusses taking out Thompson.
U.S. District Judge Garnett ruled last week that federal prosecutors can use the items found on Mangione when he was arrested as evidence.

Luigi Mangione Erupts In Courtroom Outburst After Judge Sets State Trial Date

Court

New York

A Manhattan judge ruled on Friday that federal prosecutors cannot seek the death penalty against suspected assassin Luigi Mangione, a major twist ahead of the highly anticipated trial.
Attorney General Pam Bondi directed federal prosecutors to pursue the death penalty last year after Mangione was arrested and hit with federal charges for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett, however, said the parts of the case that made the death penalty a possibility had &#8220;legal infirmities,&#8221; The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/30/us-news/luigi-mangione-case-federal-judge-throws-out-death-penalty/">reported</a>.
The federal charge against Mangione that made him eligible for the death penalty accused him of &#8220;using a firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a crime of violence.&#8221; Garnett said that she was dismissing that part of the indictment “solely to preclude the death penalty as an available punishment when the jury determines if the Defendant caused Brian Thompson’s death.”
Garnett <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-latest-judge-rule-death-penalty-stays/story?id=129677290">agreed</a> with Mangione&#8217;s defense team and said that stalking does not constitute &#8220;a crime of violence.&#8221; The judge acknowledged that her decision was &#8220;strange,&#8221; but argued that violence is defined by using force, and stalking could technically be committed without using force, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-latest-judge-rule-death-penalty-stays/story?id=129677290">reported</a>.
Thompson was gunned down from behind in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, as he was walking to a hotel during his company&#8217;s annual investor conference. Thompson, a Minnesota resident, left behind a wife and two small children. Shell casings retrieved from the scene had the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” written on them, according to the New York Police Department. The words found on the shell casings have been connected to a 2010 book that was critical of the health insurance industry. Mangione&#8217;s fingerprints allegedly matched fingerprints found on shell casings at the murder scene.
Garnett&#8217;s ruling means that Mangione now faces a maximum of life in prison without parole. Prosecutors plan on appealing the decision, NBC 4 New York <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/luigi-mangione-death-penalty-judge-decision-evidence/6452337/">reported</a>.
In another decision on Friday, Garnett sided against Mangione&#8217;s defense team and said that the prosecution could use evidence that was seized from Mangione&#8217;s backpack when he was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania. While the suspected assassin&#8217;s backpack was searched by police without a warrant, Garnett said there are exceptions to the requirement for obtaining a warrant, such as the discovery of a weapon.
Mangione was arrested at a McDonald&#8217;s in Altoona following a five-day manhunt, and police found a firearm, silencer, and what appeared to be a manifesto in the man&#8217;s backpack. In one section of a notebook found in Mangione&#8217;s possession, the author planned to &#8220;whack” the health care CEO “at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention.”
Mangione pleaded not guilty to the federal and state murder charges. With the death penalty thrown out, opening arguments for the trial are set to begin in October, with jury selection scheduled for September 8.
The case has already gripped the nation, and Mangione has gained a following, with some of his supporters defending the murder of Thompson and <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/luigi-mangione-protesters-call-death-elon-musk-other-corrupt-healthcare-ceos.print">calling</a> for more health care executives to be killed.
Attorney General Bondi <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-directs-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-luigi-mangione">said</a> last year that the murder of Thompson was &#8220;a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.&#8221;

Luigi Mangione Appears In Court To Face NY State Murder Charges

Federal Judge Says Prosecutors Can’t Pursue Death Penalty Against Luigi Mangione

assassination

federal judge

A man posing as an FBI agent walked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday night in an attempt to spring suspected assassin Luigi Mangione from jail, according to a criminal complaint.
The suspect, 36-year-old Mark Anderson of Minnesota, was charged on Thursday with impersonating a federal agent. Anderson allegedly illegally approached the jail&#8217;s intake area and told authorities at the jail that he had an order “signed by a judge” to free an inmate. While the criminal complaint does not specify who Anderson was allegedly attempting to free, law enforcement sources told <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-allegedly-break-luigi-mangione-jail-impersonating-fbi/story?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=dhfacebook&amp;utm_content=app.dashsocial.com/abcnews/library/media/635358670&amp;id=129679620">ABC News</a> and the<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/01/29/us-news/lunatic-luigi-mangione-fan-posed-as-fbi-agent-in-botched-bid-to-break-accused-ceo-killer-out-of-nyc-jail-feds/"> New York Post</a> that it was Mangione.
Anderson told officials that he had weapons in his bag, and when officials searched the bag, they found a pizza cutter and a barbecue fork, according to the criminal complaint. When asked to provide his credentials, Anderson handed officials his Minnesota driver&#8217;s license, the complaint stated. Anderson reportedly moved to New York City recently and was working at a pizza parlor. The Minnesota man was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday afternoon.
<div id="attachment_1035785" style="width: 701px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1035785" class="wp-image-1035785 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983-691x576.jpg" alt="" width="691" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983-691x576.jpg 691w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983-300x250.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983-768x640.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/01/Untitled-design-2026-01-29T172313.983.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 691px) 100vw, 691px" />U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York</div>
Mangione is being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center as his trial unfolds. The 27-year-old University of Pennsylvania graduate is charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was gunned down on a New York City street on December 4, 2024.
Mangione has been charged at the state and federal levels, with his federal murder charge opening up the door to the death penalty if he is convicted. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state and federal murder charges. The suspected assassin has attracted fans, who have called for him to be released. Some of Mangione&#8217;s supporters have used the murder of Thompson to condemn the U.S. health care system and to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/luigi-mangione-protesters-call-death-elon-musk-other-corrupt-healthcare-ceos.print">call</a> for other health care executives to be killed.
The Mangione fans, some of them wearing costumes of Luigi from Super Mario, have flocked together outside of the courthouse in New York City when the suspected killer was due in court. Mangione is due back in court for his federal case on Friday as the judge considers whether the death penalty can remain on the table.
The accused killer&#8217;s attorney&#8217;s wants the judge to prevent the prosecution from using items found in Mangione&#8217;s backpack when he was arrested as evidence. The lawyers argue that Altoona, Pennsylvania, police illegally searched Mangione&#8217;s backpack when they arrested him. Among the items found in Mangione&#8217;s backpack were a gun, a loaded magazine, and a notebook that allegedly described Mangione&#8217;s plan to &#8220;whack&#8221; the health care CEO &#8220;at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention.&#8221;
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett said last week that Mangione&#8217;s federal trial will start on September 8.

Man Armed With BBQ Fork And Pizza Cutter Posed As FBI Agent To Spring Luigi Mangione From Jail

Jail

Suspected assassin Luigi Mangione reportedly pumped his fist in court on Monday, as video footage rolled allegedly showing officers finding a loaded magazine in his backpack.
<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/luigi-mangione-pumps-fist-court-police-body-cam-allegedly-reveals-loaded-magazine-found-inside-wet-underwear">According</a> to Fox News, Mangione pumped his fist while sitting in a Manhattan courtroom as body cam footage being played showed Altoona police officer Christy Wasser searching the suspect&#8217;s backpack and allegedly finding a magazine with bullets wrapped in wet underwear.
&#8220;There was another magazine hidden in his underwear,&#8221; Wasser says on the video. Another person then says, &#8220;it&#8217;s f***ing him,&#8221; Fox reported.
The footage was taken inside a McDonald&#8217;s, where Mangione was found after a days-long, nationwide manhunt. The Ivy League grad was then the only suspect in the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Mangione was charged last year with stalking and murdering Thompson. The CEO, a father of two, was shot from behind while walking toward a New York City hotel to attend a corporate investor conference for UnitedHealthcare last December. 
Prosecution claims Thompson was targeted over the suspect’s grievances with the health insurance industry, citing a “manifesto.” Additionally, recovered shell casings included the inscriptions “delay,” “deny,” and “depose.”
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Mangione, who has pleaded not guilty on all counts, is facing life in prison for a state case against him, and potentially the death penalty if he’s convicted in a federal case. 
Currently, the 27-year-old is in week two of a pretrial evidentiary hearing for the state case. His lawyers are asking that key evidence be suppressed in the trial, arguing that the evidence was found on Mangione without a warrant and before Mangione was read his Miranda rights. The evidence in question is crucial to the case, including the 9mm handgun allegedly matching the murder weapon, and a notebook that prosecutors say contains writings revealing Mangione’s motive for the assassination. 
Mangione&#8217;s team also wants statements tossed that the suspect made to police, which they say were made before Mangione was read his Miranda rights.
The state is arguing that the search of Mangione’s backpack was lawful and not unreasonable since officers needed to search the suspect’s bag over safety concerns, to make sure there were no weapons or dangerous items on Mangione when they found him at the McDonald&#8217;s.
The prosecution also argues that Mangione spoke to them voluntarily and before he was in formal custody, so the Miranda requirement doesn’t apply. They also note that the only statement they plan to use is when officers asked Mangione for his name, and he allegedly gave a false name in response.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-groupies-flock-to-courthouse-in-support-of-alleged-assassin">Luigi Mangione Groupies Flock To Courthouse In Support Of Alleged Assassin</a>

Luigi Mangione Attends State Court Hearing In New York

Luigi Mangione Pumps Fist In Court During Critical Moment Of Trial

Health Care

U.S. negotiators head to Moscow after huddling over a peace framework with Ukraine officials, Luigi Mangione arrives at a Manhattan courtroom for pre-trial hearings in his murder case, and the Supreme Court hears arguments on who is responsible for music piracy.
It’s Tuesday, December 2, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251202">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">U.S. Negotiators In Moscow, And Trump’s Caribbean Crackdown</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1008293" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Peace-Within-Reach-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Peace-Within-Reach-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Peace-Within-Reach-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Peace-Within-Reach-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Peace-Within-Reach-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Peace-Within-Reach.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: U.S. negotiators are in Moscow on Tuesday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the White House faces growing scrutiny over its drug crackdown in the Caribbean. 
Ukraine peace deal: Last week, a draft of the U.S. peace plan leaked, including significant concessions from Ukraine. After outrage from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and virtually every European head of state, the White House spent the following days meeting with Ukrainian officials who lobbied for more favorable terms.
Specifically, Ukrainian officials want to remove portions of the text that hand over large swaths of land in the East and cap their military at 600,000 personnel. And perhaps most importantly, they want explicit guarantees that if Russia invades in the future, the U.S. and NATO will have their back.
Those talks concluded Sunday in Miami, where three of Zelensky’s top advisers huddled with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Ukraine’s secretary of national security called the meetings productive and said, “The U.S. is hearing us, supporting us, and walking beside us.”
Witkoff to Moscow: Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, are in Moscow on Tuesday for an expected sit-down with Putin. But he’s unlikely to sign on to the current deal if it doesn’t allow him to seize large portions of land in Eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, including some territory still in Ukrainian hands.
Speaking last week, Putin warned that “when Ukrainian troops leave the territories they hold, then the fighting will stop. If they don’t, then we’ll achieve that through military means.”
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But the reality is, even if Zelensky agreed to hand over land in exchange for peace, which seems unlikely at the moment, there are significant legal hurdles. Under the Ukrainian constitution, any change to the country’s borders must be approved by voters through a nationwide referendum.
Caribbean capers: The administration is facing increased scrutiny over White House <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/5628447-defense-secretary-authorizes-drug-boat-strike/">confirmation</a> that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth authorized, but did not order, a follow-up strike on a suspected drug vessel after at least two people survived the initial strike.
On Monday, Democrats continued to slam Hegseth and the president, accusing them of committing war crimes. Now, Congress is stepping in, with the Republican-led armed services committees in the House and Senate vowing to conduct “vigorous oversight” and a “full accounting” of the alleged incident.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Luigi Mangione In Court For Pre-Trial Hearings</h2>
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Topline: Luigi Mangione, the man charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared in a New York City courtroom this week for key pre-trial hearings.
Mangione, a 27-year-old Ivy League grad, has been charged with stalking and killing Thompson in December 2024. Thompson, a father of two, was shot from behind while walking toward a New York City hotel to attend a corporate investor conference.
Prosecutors say Thompson was targeted over the suspect’s grievances with the health insurance industry, citing a “manifesto.” Recovered shell casings also had the inscriptions, “delay,” “deny,” and “depose.” Mangione is facing life in prison for the state case against him, and potentially the death penalty if he’s convicted in the federal case. Mangione has pleaded not guilty on all counts.
The state case: Mangione appeared in a New York City court on Monday to begin a pre-trial evidentiary hearing. His lawyers are asking that key evidence be suppressed at trial, arguing that it was found on Mangione without a warrant and before Mangione was read his Miranda rights.
The evidence in question is crucial to the case, including the 9 mm handgun matching the murder weapon, and a notebook that prosecutors say contains writings revealing Mangione’s motive for the assassination. The defense also wants statements Mangione allegedly made to police, which they say were made before the suspect was read his rights, tossed.
The prosecution’s case: Prosecutors say the search of Mangione’s backpack was lawful and not unreasonable, as officers needed to search the suspect’s bag for safety reasons. Officers needed to ensure there were no weapons or dangerous items on Mangione when they found him at a McDonald&#8217;s in Pennsylvania. That was after a days-long national manhunt.
As far as the statements Mangione made before being read his Miranda rights, the state says Mangione spoke to them voluntarily and before he was in formal custody, so the Miranda requirement doesn’t apply. They also note that the only statement they plan to use is when officers asked Mangione for his name, and he allegedly gave a false name in response.
Looking ahead: Pre-trial hearings in the state case could last several weeks.
As for the federal case, the next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, and a trial date may be set then. Prosecutors have filed a &#8220;notice of intent&#8221; to seek the death penalty.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">SCOTUS Hearing On Music Piracy Case</h2>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-1008297" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Piracy-Penalty-Push-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Piracy-Penalty-Push-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Piracy-Penalty-Push-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Piracy-Penalty-Push-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Piracy-Penalty-Push-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/12/Piracy-Penalty-Push.jpg 1920w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
Topline: The Supreme Court is stepping into a billion-dollar showdown that&#8217;s pitting the music industry against internet giants. Cox Communications v. Sony Music will decide who’s responsible for illegal downloading of copyrighted content – and whether millions of Americans could lose their broadband access. 
At its core, this case asks whether an internet service provider can be held financially liable for its subscribers&#8217; illegal downloading or sharing of copyrighted material. It’s called “secondary liability.”
This began back in 2018 when major record labels like Sony, Warner Brothers, and Universal first filed a bombshell lawsuit against Cox, the third-largest broadband provider in the country. They accused Cox of ignoring rampant music piracy. This was primarily peer-to-peer file-sharing via BitTorrent. Think sites like The Pirate Bay.
In 2019, a Virginia jury ruled against Cox and awarded the plaintiffs a staggering $1 billion for allowing &#8220;habitual offenders&#8221; to steal more than 10,000 works.
But the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals tossed the damages, so Cox didn’t have to pay the $1 billion. But the Court upheld the liability. Cox appealed, and on Monday, SCOTUS heard oral arguments in the case.
The case: The main question the justices focused on was whether Cox had an obligation to terminate broadband internet provision of content thieves once the music companies had informed them of the theft.
Cox’s attorney argued they can’t set a standard here because there would be no way to isolate and punish a single user when it comes to massive accounts like universities, hospitals, and office buildings.
If the Court sides with Cox, it would reaffirm broad protections for ISPs and possibly constrain how aggressively artists and content creators can pursue copyright claims. But if the Court sides with the record labels, that could have a massive impact on millions of Americans, establishing a standard under which internet service providers are required to police user activity and cut off service to anyone found illegally downloading content.

MRN_251202_V3

Morning Brief: Moscow Peace Talks, Luigi Mangione Back In Court, & SCOTUS Piracy Case

Morning Brief: Witkoff In Moscow, Mangione In Court, And SCOTUS Case On Music Piracy

Donald Trump

Marco Rubio

Morning Wire

New York City

Pete Hegseth

SCOTUS

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

Dozens of fans of accused assassin Luigi Mangione flocked to a courthouse in Manhattan on Monday to catch a glimpse of their so-called hero.
Some of Mangione’s groupies arrived at court dressed in costumes of “Luigi” from the Super Mario video games. The suspect&#8217;s fans said that they support Mangione, who is accused of murdering the late CEO of UnitedHealthcare, for his stand against the U.S. health care system, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/12/01/us-news/luigi-mangione-arrives-in-nyc-court-for-pivotal-hearing-donning-cuffs-and-a-dapper-suit/">New York Post</a>.
Mangione has become somewhat iconic among leftists as a symbol of resistance against corporate health care, regardless of the murderous action he allegedly took. The accused assassin has even <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/01/15/entertainment/bill-burr-praises-luigi-mangione-in-la-fire-rant/">received</a> sympathetic treatment from figures as well-known as comedian Bill Burr. The cult of celebrity around the accused murderer has earned rebukes from those disgusted by the seeming attempts to excuse murder.
Mangione, 27, arrived at court in a gray suit and a red-and-white checkered shirt. Monday was the start of a multiday hearing over the evidence that will be allowed in Mangione’s trial.
Mangione is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. Police arrested the 27-year-old days later at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania.
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In court on Monday, one of Mangione’s defense attorneys, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, argued to have a manifesto found in Mangione’s backpack, as well as the gun used to kill Thompson, barred from evidence. Both items were found during a search of Mangione’s backpack at the Pennsylvania McDonald’s.
Agnifilo <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-01/luigi-mangione-tries-to-toss-gun-manifesto-from-murder-case">argued</a> in a court filing that the police officers who arrested Mangione violated his rights by searching his backpack without a warrant and before reading him his Miranda rights.
“Realizing she had made a potentially devastating mistake by thoroughly searching the backpack of a murder suspect in a significant New York press case without a warrant, Wasser suddenly stated that she was searching through the backpack at McDonald’s to make sure there ‘wasn’t a bomb or anything in here,'&#8221; Agnifilo wrote.
The most serious charge Mangione is facing is second-degree murder. If convicted, Mangione could be sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

Supporters of Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione Groupies Flock To Courthouse In Support Of Alleged Assassin

On Tuesday, a judge ruled that Luigi Mangione, the murderer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, should not be charged with first-degree murder.
The question was whether there would be <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-tosses-two-terrorism-charges-against-luigi-mangione">another charge</a> of terrorism added; it was dropped.
Clearly, Luigi Mangione shooting Brian Thompson — and leaving a note talking about how this was designed to effectively terrorize people who are part of the health care system — was an act of terrorism. It was a politically motivated murder with the intent of driving terror into the hearts of people who are part of the capitalist system or part of the health care system.
The judge in this case, Justice Gregory Carro, put out a statement explaining why the legal definition of terrorism was not met. The judge stated, “The defendant&#8217;s apparent objective, as stated in his writings, was not to threaten, intimidate, or coerce, but rather to draw attention to what he perceived as the greed of the insurance industry &#8230;”
The judge’s statement is a permission structure for violence. I would ask, how would you define drawing attention to what you perceive as the greed of the insurance industry through murder?
This was definitionally terrorism. If it wasn&#8217;t to “threaten, intimidate, or coerce,” then why was someone murdered?
Mangione didn&#8217;t write an Op-Ed in The Nation about the health care system; he murdered a man. And he murdered a man, yes, with the intent to threaten, intimidate or coerce people who were members of the health care industry.
If you take this judge&#8217;s argument and you extend it to literally any terrorist group around the world, it means that there is no such thing as terrorism. It writes the definition out of existence. You could say, “Radical Islamic terrorist beheads a Wall Street Journal reporter. Well, you know, he wasn&#8217;t really meaning to threaten, intimidate, or coerce others. He was really attempting to draw attention to what he perceived to be Western intolerance.”
What a bunch of absolute garbage. 9/11 terrorists under this definition would not have been terrorists, because obviously, “Osama bin Laden was just trying to draw attention to the predations of American foreign policy in Saudi Arabia” or some such nonsense.
The permission structures for terrorism and violence are there. They are deeply embedded. They&#8217;re embedded. It is largely relegated to the Left, but there are some on the Right who are willing to countenance this sort of stuff. That’s just the reality.
This is why there were crowds outside of the courthouse when it was announced that Mangione will not face life in prison without the possibility of parole. He could easily get out while he is still 50 or 60 years old after shooting a man in cold blood in the back and then in the back of the head.
There were people celebrating that in New York City on the streets. You want to know why Zohran Mamdani could be the mayor of New York City? This is why.
Scavengers, demons. That&#8217;s what this is. There were people on the Right who were angry at me when I said that the capture of Luigi Mangione needed to end with the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, and that anybody who celebrated the death of Brian Thompson was doing something evil. Some people on the Right objected to that, and tried to create permission structures, saying, “Well, yes, he shouldn&#8217;t have done that. But, you know, there are real grievances. And if you ignore those grievances &#8230;”
It was largely relegated to the Left. But there were some horseshoe theory people on the Right who were doing that routine. The Mangione case is a key tipping point case for political violence in the United States.
And you can see those permission structures emerging in the world&#8217;s worst ways on social media. Social media has been a bane on our existence.
Until those permission structures disappear, violence like this may well become more commonplace.

Luigi Mangione And The Permission Structures For Violence

Ben Shapiro

Brian Thompson

Criminal Justice

Judges

Opinion

A New York judge on Tuesday threw out two state charges of murder related to terrorism against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December.
Judge Gregory Carro tossed charges of murder in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism, saying that the evidence presented to the grand jury did not support terrorism charges, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/luigi-mangione-returns-court-1st-time-5-months/story?id=125617908">reported</a>. A second-degree murder charge against the 27-year-old suspect remains in place.
Mangione made his first court appearance in five months on Tuesday after he was arrested in December and accused of killing Thompson, a 50-year-old husband and father of two, in Midtown Manhattan. Thompson was shot from behind on the morning of December 4, 2024, as he was walking near the Hilton hotel in Midtown, which was hosting an annual investor&#8217;s conference.
Mangione also faces federal charges and other state charges in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested five days after Thompson was gunned down. The suspect&#8217;s defense team argued that the New York state charges should be dismissed, claiming that Mangione faces double jeopardy due to the overlap between the federal and state charges, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/new-york-judge-dismisses-state-terrorism-charges-luigi-mangione-keeps-rcna231594">NBC News</a>. The judge called the defense&#8217;s argument &#8220;premature.&#8221;
In April, Mangione was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-indicted-on-federal-charge-of-murder-making-him-eligible-for-death-penalty">indicted</a> by a federal grand jury on multiple charges, including murder through the use of a firearm, a count that makes him eligible for the death penalty. Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the DOJ would pursue the death penalty for Mangione, arguing that Thompson&#8217;s killing &#8220;was an act of political violence.&#8221;
Police arrested Mangione at a McDonald&#8217;s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a five-day manhunt. Investigators said that a backpack that Mangione was carrying when he was arrested contained the alleged murder weapon, a fake ID, and a diary. Mangione&#8217;s defense team has argued that the evidence seized during Mangione&#8217;s arrest should be suppressed, claiming that police conducted a warrantless search of Mangione&#8217;s belongings.
One entry in the diary found in Mangione&#8217;s backpack discusses how someone should &#8220;wack the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention,&#8221; according to a court filing.
&#8220;It’s targeted, precise, and doesn’t risk innocents. Most importantly, the point is self-evident,&#8221; the entry added.
&#8220;I finally feel confident about what I will do,&#8221; another entry states, according to authorities. &#8220;The target is insurance. It checks every box.&#8221;
Hearings for Mangione&#8217;s case are set to begin on December 1, but a trial date has not been scheduled. Mangione pleaded not guilty to the state charges in New York and Pennsylvania as well as to the federal charges.

Judge Tosses Two Terrorism Charges Against Luigi Mangione

Judge

The China-based retailer Shein faced backlash after using images of a man resembling accused murderer Luigi Mangione modeling its clothing.
The images went viral on social media, prompting users to question the company’s advertising decision. Shein blamed the blunder on “a third-party vendor” and quickly removed the ads.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Luigi Mangione Appears to Model Clothes for Shein <a href="https://t.co/BMMTK89Tde">https://t.co/BMMTK89Tde</a> <a href="https://t.co/CvrrhMYU9c">pic.twitter.com/CvrrhMYU9c</a>
— TMZ (@TMZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TMZ/status/1963046791542178026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The image in question was provided by a third-party vendor and was removed immediately upon discovery. We have stringent standards for all listings on our platform. We are conducting a thorough investigation, strengthening our monitoring processes, and will take appropriate action against the vendor in line with our policies,” a Shein rep said in a statement, per <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/luigi-mangione-shein-shirt-listing-viral-2123622">Newsweek</a>.
Shein is a fast fashion retailer known for its massive, constantly updated selection of trendy clothing and accessories at ultra-low prices. It’s extremely popular with younger shoppers, but has faced growing criticism over sustainability, labor practices, and intellectual property issues.
Mangione pleaded “not guilty” to federal murder charges following the December 2024 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. 
According to authorities, Mangione shot Thompson, a father of two young children, in a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination” as an act of “political violence.”
Thompson was gunned down in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, leading to a five-day manhunt that ended with Mangione’s arrest in Pennsylvania.
Mangione’s alleged targeting of Thompson appears meticulously planned, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-pleads-not-guilty-as-doj-seeks-death-penalty?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Luigi+Mangione+Pleads+Not+Guilty+As+DOJ+Seeks+Death+Penalty">reported</a>. Three 9mm shell casings bearing the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” were recovered from the crime scene, which was believed to be a reference to a 2010 book criticizing health insurance industry tactics.
The Department of Justice is seeking the death penalty.
The case has sparked considerable public attention and led to a surprising show of support for Mangione. Former Washington Post and New York Times tech reporter Taylor Lorenz <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taylor-lorenz-refuses-to-condemn-luigi-mangione-gosh-youre-gonna-ask-if-i-condemn-hamas-next?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Taylor+Lorenz+Refuses+To+Condemn+Luigi+Mangione%3A+%E2%80%98Gosh%2C+You%E2%80%99re+Gonna+Ask+If+I+Condemn+Hamas+Next%E2%80%99">said</a> during an April interview with CNN that the accused murderer was seen as a “revolutionary, who’s famous, who’s handsome, who’s young, who’s smart. He’s a person who seems like he’s this morally good man, which is hard to find.”

Fast-Fashion Retailer Slammed For Using Luigi Mangione’s Likeness To Sell Clothes

Fast-Fashion Retailer Slammed For Using Luigi Mangione's Likeness To Sell Clothes

Business

China

News

Social Issues

Prosecutors say Luigi Mangione kept diaries chronicling in chilling detail his plans to assassinate UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and revealing he backed off of a mass-casualty attack he had initially conceived.
The self-proclaimed anti-capitalist wrote in his manifesto that he chose to &#8220;wack the CEO&#8221; rather than bomb the UnitedHealthcare headquarters because he believed it would generate better headlines and be less likely to be deemed &#8220;terrorism,&#8221; according to court documents <a href="https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/luigi-mangione-da-omnibus-response.pdf">revealed</a> this week.
&#8220;So say you want to rebel against the deadly, greed fueled health insurance cartel. Do you bomb the HQ? No. Bombs=terrorism,&#8221; Mangione allegedly wrote in a red spiral notebook found in his backpack upon his arrest five days after the shooting.
Manhattan prosecutors are confident that this is “open and shut case,” pointing to evidence continuing to pile up indicating that Mangione’s goal was “to send a message.”
In parts of the diaries that had been previously <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/nyregion/luigi-mangione-manifesto.html">released</a>, Mangione reasoned that someone should &#8220;wack the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention. It&#8217;s targeted and precise and doesn&#8217;t risk innocents.&#8221;
The University of Pennsylvania graduate justified targeting insurance providers because they &#8220;literally extract human life force for money,&#8221; and seemed fixated on how his actions would be perceived by the public, adding that &#8220;the point is made in the news headline &#8216;Insurance CEO killed at annual investors conference.&#8217; It conveys a greedy bastard that had it coming.&#8221;
Mangione expressed relief that he had not followed through with a mass-casualty event, allegedly writing, &#8220;I’m glad — in a way — that I’ve procrastinated [because] it allowed me to learn more about UHC.&#8221;
“KMD would’ve been an unjustified catastrophe that would be perceived mostly as sick, but more importantly unhelpful,” Magione allegedly wrote of a potential attack in his home state of Maryland.
The accused assassin reportedly came to this conclusion by analyzing the public reaction to Ted Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber.
&#8220;Ted K makes some good points on the future of humanity, but to make his point he indiscriminately mailbombs innocents. Normies categorize him as an insane serial killer, focus on the act/atrocities themselves, and dismiss his ideas,” Mangione wrote, apparently having a desire for his act of violence to be as palatable as possible for &#8220;normies&#8221; to get behind.
The filing adds that authorities found a note, which has been previously reported on, in Mangione&#8217;s possession during his arrest at a McDonald&#8217;s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, addressed to federal investigators.
&#8220;To the Feds, I&#8217;ll keep this short because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly I wasn&#8217;t working with anyone,&#8221; Mangione wrote, describing his attack as &#8220;fairly trivial,&#8221; involving &#8220;some elementary social engineering, basic [computer aided design], and a lot of patience.&#8221;
The note continued with an unapologetic justification: &#8220;I do apologize for any strife or trauma, but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming,&#8221; then launching into a sanctimonious rant about the state of health care in America.
“If ever there were an open and shut case pointing to a defendant’s guilt, this case is that case. Simply put, one would be hard pressed to find a case with such overwhelming evidence of guilt as to the identity of the murderer and the premeditated nature of the assassination,” prosecutors wrote regarding the entries.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg argued that even disregarding the mountains of physical evidence presented in Wednesday&#8217;s filing, the prosecution still would have enough to convict Mangione on the terrorism count.
“The shooting itself speaks volumes of the defendant’s intent. Defendant chose to shoot the CEO of the United States’ largest health insurance company in front of the hotel where the company was about to conduct its annual investor conference,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg wrote in the filing.
Mangione, 27, faces both state and federal murder and terrorism charges in connection with the shooting death of Thompson in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, leading to a five-day manhunt that ended with Mangione’s arrest in Pennsylvania. Mangione has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/luigi-mangione-pleads-not-guilty-as-doj-seeks-death-penalty?author=Nathan+Gay&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Luigi+Mangione+Pleads+Not+Guilty+As+DOJ+Seeks+Death+Penalty">pleaded</a> not guilty on all charges.
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According to authorities, Mangione <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-directs-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-luigi-mangione">murdered</a> Thompson, a father of two young children, in a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination” as an act of “political violence.”
On the federal level, Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/us/luigi-mangione-federal-charges/index.html">announced</a> in late May that the DOJ intends to pursue the death penalty in the Mangione case.
Mangione&#8217;s attorneys have moved to exclude his writings from the court record, arguing their client wasn&#8217;t afforded his constitutional rights when arrested.
Prosecutors responded, agreeing to pre-trial hearings on the admissibility of the evidence, including the red spiral notebook and statements made to police officers.
Mangione is scheduled to appear in court for his state charges on June 26.

Luigi Mangione’s Chilling Diaries Revealed In Court: ‘Parasites Simply Had It Coming’

Alvin Bragg

Death Penalty

Department of Justice

UnitedHealthcare

Luigi Mangione, who faces federal murder charges after the December shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, pleaded not guilty in federal court on Friday.
Mangione appeared in Manhattan federal court in a prison jumpsuit and shackled at the wrists and ankles, entering not guilty pleas to charges of murder, two counts of stalking, and a firearms offense.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the DOJ intends to pursue the death penalty in the case, causing Mangione&#8217;s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, to request that the court prioritize starting his federal trial before his state cases in New York and Pennsylvania, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/us/luigi-mangione-federal-charges/index.html">reported</a>.
According to authorities, Mangione “<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-pamela-bondi-directs-prosecutors-seek-death-penalty-luigi-mangione">murdered</a>” Thompson, a father of two young children, in a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination” as an act of “political violence.”
Thompson was gunned down in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, leading to a five-day manhunt that ended with Mangione&#8217;s arrest in Pennsylvania, more than 270 miles from the shooting scene.
At the time of his arrest, Mangione possessed “fake ID used by the suspect, the gun they believe was used in the shooting and a handwritten ‘claim of responsibility,’ authorities have said,” according to CNN.
Mangione&#8217;s targeting of Thompson appears meticulously planned, according to the DOJ, and three 9mm shell casings recovered from the crime scene had the words &#8220;delay,&#8221; &#8220;deny,&#8221; and &#8220;depose&#8221; written on them, an apparent reference to a 2010 book criticizing insurance industry tactics, according to the NYPD.
The case has sparked considerable public attention, with supporters of Mangione gathering outside the courthouse Friday, some wearing green, referencing Nintendo&#8217;s &#8220;Luigi&#8221; character, and holding banners with messages like &#8220;Luigi Before Fascists&#8221; and &#8220;Stop the Violence: End the Death Penalty Now.&#8221;
Chelsea Manning, the former Army soldier convicted of violating the Espionage Act after leaking documents to WikiLeaks, has appeared at multiple hearings in support of Mangione.
Many people, according to CNN, seem to be channeling their frustration with the health care system through Mangione, with some going as far as calling him a vigilante.
A legal defense fund in Mangione&#8217;s name has raised more than $950,000 from supporters.
Mainstream politicians have condemned Mangione&#8217;s alleged actions. &#8220;In America, we do not kill people in cold blood to resolve policy differences or express a viewpoint,&#8221; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said the day Mangione was arrested, adding, &#8220;He is no hero.&#8221;
Judge Margaret Garnett scheduled Mangione&#8217;s next federal hearing for December 5, when a trial date will be set. She indicated she expects the trial to begin in 2026.

Insurance CEO Murder Suspect Luigi Mangione Is Extradicted To New York

Luigi Mangione Pleads Not Guilty As DOJ Seeks Death Penalty

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