A federal judge has dismissed the death penalty-eligible murder and weapons charges against Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The judge ruled they did not constitute crimes of violence. This removes the death penalty. Federal stalking charges remain, with a trial set to potentially begin in October 2026 after jury selection in September.
There is also a push for state murder charges.
Also happening surrounding Mangione: a Minnesota man is arrested after trying to break the accused killer free. Mark Anderson reportedly presented himself at a New York federal jail claiming to be an FBI agent. He said he had a court order to release Mangione.
Anderson also allegedly said he had weapons on him. Inside a bag he was carrying, he had a barbecue fork and a circular steel blade that resembled a pizza cutter.
[Feature Photo: Luigi Mangione appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for an evidence hearing, Thursday , Dec. 18, 2025, in New York. (Shannon Stapleton/Pool Photo via AP)]