Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson when his case goes to trial later this year, a federal judge ruled Friday.
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed a federal murder charge against the 27 year old.
Forbes reports the decision sees the throwing out of two counts against the suspect that would have heightened the potential punishment for his alleged crimes.
Specifically, the two charges dismissed against Mangione were for murder through use of a firearm and use of a firearm with a silencer to commit a “crime of violence.”
A supporter of Luigi Mangione demonstrates outside of court as Mangione attends a hearing in New York City on September 16, 2025. (TIMOTHY A.CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
Mangione was arrested days after he allegedly shot Thompson as he was walking into a conference on a busy Manhattan street in December 2024.
He has pleaded not guilty to state and federal murder charges.
Mangione will still face two counts of stalking. If convicted, those counts have a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
Jury selection for the federal trial is scheduled to begin on September 8, with opening statements starting on October 13.
Judge Garnett also ruled Friday to allow into Mangione’s trial evidence recovered from his backpack at the time of his arrest.
The trial news comes as a Minnesota man allegedly impersonated an FBI agent in a failed jailbreak of accused assassin Mangione this week, as Breitbart News reported.