Unexpected court session raises possibility of plea deal in Mangione murder case

Federal prosecutors and the defense team for Luigi Mangione asked a Manhattan federal judge to hold an unscheduled hearing on Friday, a move that has sparked speculation about a possible plea agreement in the federal stalking case linked to the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealth Group CEO Brian Thompson. The surprise session follows earlier discussions of a plea that did not materialize during a June hearing, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Mangione has maintained not-guilty pleas on both the state murder charge, set for trial on Sept. 8, and the federal stalking charge. New York prosecutors warned that a federal plea could undermine their state case and have urged that any agreement be followed by a severe sentence.

"A federal plea could undercut our case," a prosecutor said, emphasizing the need for a tough penalty.

State Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro, who presides over the murder trial, previously described defense arguments about double jeopardy as premature, but indicated the issue could be revisited if a federal plea is reached. The court also ordered that the jury for the state trial remain anonymous after the defense abandoned a planned psychiatric defense strategy.

The hearing’s outcome could influence the trajectory of both the federal and state proceedings, though no deal has been confirmed at this stage.