On Friday, Luigi Mangione admitted in federal court that he fatally shot UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH) CEO Brian Thompson and pleaded guilty to two federal counts of stalking the CEO with intent to kill.
Mangione Admits Fatal Shooting In Court
Mangione, 28, read a prepared statement before acknowledging that he shot Thompson in Manhattan on Dec. 4, 2024, Reuters reported.
"I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan and he died," Mangione said.
He said he became frustrated with the health insurance system after experiencing difficulties obtaining insurance coverage following a back injury.
He also described how he posed as an investor to obtain information about UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference, where Thompson was scheduled to appear.
Mangione said he later used a 3D printer to make part of a gun before traveling to New York with the intention of killing Thompson.
Thompson’s widow and other family members attended the hearing. His family called the guilty plea an "important step toward justice" and said they expected sentencing to reflect the seriousness of the crime.
Prosecutors Seek Life Sentence for Mangione
Mangione entered his guilty plea without a deal with federal prosecutors. U.S. prosecutors said they will seek life in prison, the maximum sentence available, at his Dec. 18 sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald said the government made no concessions to Mangione.
"No grievance or ideological cause can ever justify murder," McDonald said.
Mangione’s federal murder and weapons charges were dismissed in January over legal issues, eliminating the possibility of a federal death sentence.
Defense Seeks to Dismiss New York Murder Case
Mangione’s federal guilty plea also gave his lawyers grounds to seek dismissal of the separate New York murder and weapons charges.
They argued that double jeopardy protections prevent him from being punished twice for the same conduct.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office could challenge the motion. In a statement, a spokesman for Bragg said that they are prepared to contest the defense arguments and remain "committed to seeking justice for Mr. Thompson and his family."
Price Action: UnitedHealth Group stock closed at $401.73 on Friday, up 0.67%, according to Benzinga Pro.
According to Benzinga Edge Rankings, UNH ranks in the 84th percentile for Momentum, with positive medium- and long-term price trends but a negative short-term trend.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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