Federal plea talks set for Luigi Mangione case on Friday

Prosecutors and defense lawyers in the federal case against Luigi Mangione are expected to meet in court on Friday to explore a possible plea agreement, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Both sides have declined to comment publicly.

Earlier negotiations in June also failed to produce a deal. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state charges stemming from the 2024 assassination-style killing of UnitedHealthcare chief Brian Thompson. He is scheduled to stand trial in New York State Supreme Court beginning Sept. 8 and in Manhattan federal court on Jan. 5.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office indicated it is prepared to lobby the presiding federal judge for a severe sentence if Mangione enters a guilty plea. In a letter, the office said it is aware of media reports about Mangione’s earlier consideration of a federal plea and warned that a federal plea that undermines a just outcome in the state case could be opposed by the victim’s family and should be taken into account by the court.

"If a proposed federal guilty plea would operate to defeat a just outcome in the state prosecution, the People could advise the federal district court if that consequence, and the court should consider that fact in deciding whether to accept the plea, as well as any opposition by the victim's family to such a resolution," the district attorney's office wrote.