New York, New York — Lawyers for Luigi Mangione filed a motion Saturday in Manhattan federal court seeking to dismiss several criminal charges, including the sole count under which he could face the death penalty. The charges stem from the December assassination of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive, a killing that shocked the nation and prompted a multi-state manhunt.
The legal team argued that prosecutors should be barred from using Mangione’s statements to law enforcement, as well as the contents of his backpack, where authorities discovered a gun and ammunition. According to the filing, officers questioned Mangione without informing him of his constitutional rights.
Lawyers further contended that the search of Mangione’s backpack violated his Fourth Amendment rights, as no warrant had been obtained prior to the search. The backpack contained key evidence, including a firearm and ammunition linked to the fatal shooting of the executive.
Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges in the December 4 shooting, which occurred as the UnitedHealthcare chief arrived at a Manhattan hotel for the company’s annual investor conference. The assassination has become one of the most high-profile corporate killings in recent American history.
Investigators said that after the shooting, Mangione fled the scene, riding a bicycle to Central Park before taking a taxi to a bus depot servicing multiple nearby states. The escape triggered a multi-state search that lasted five days before police received a tip from a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, 233 miles from New York City, which led to his arrest.
Since his arrest, Mangione has been held without bail. Federal prosecutors have pursued the death penalty for the single count under federal law that applies to murders committed with firearms as part of other crimes of violence. This federal charge allows for the death penalty because New York state law does not.
Last month, Mangione’s lawyers requested that the federal charges be dismissed, arguing that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s public comments directing prosecutors to seek the death penalty compromised the case. Bondi had described the assassination as a “premeditated, cold-blooded” act that shocked the nation.
The Saturday filing also challenged the classification of the alleged “other offenses” necessary to sustain the federal death penalty charge. Lawyers argued that the cited offense, stalking, does not legally qualify as a crime of violence, and therefore the federal charge should be invalidated.
The assassination has drawn widespread attention beyond the courtroom. Corporate executives nationwide have expressed heightened concern for personal security, while online commentators have linked the killing to broader resentment toward U.S. health insurers. Investigators noted the words “delay, deny, and depose” written on ammunition at the scene, reflecting phrases often used by critics of the insurance industry.
As the legal battle unfolds, federal and state courts face questions regarding constitutional protections, the proper scope of federal charges, and the potential application of the death penalty. The case of Luigi Mangione continues to captivate public attention, highlighting both the vulnerability of corporate leaders and the complexities of prosecuting high-profile assassinations in multiple jurisdictions.
