Luigi Mangione lawyers seek to block potential death penalty due to "dehumanizing" act
New York, New York - Luigi Mangione's lawyers are seeking to block the Justice Department from seeking death penalty over the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
A court filing issued by Mangione's lawyers argued that the DOJ should not be allowed to seek the death penalty because his due process rights have been violated.
His lawyers argued that the public had been prejudiced against Mangione when he was forced into an unconstitutional "perp walk" on the day of his first court appearance.
In the filing, the DOJ is accused of "staging a dehumanizing, unconstitutional 'perp walk' where he was televised, videotaped and photographed clambering out of a helicopter in shackles on his way to his initial appearance."
In addition, Mangione's lawyers point to statements made by high-ranking members of the Trump administration, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, as highly prejudicial.
"Because of the blatant, intentional and damaging nature of this torrent of prejudice from multiple public officials, mainly the United States Attorney General... the death penalty indictment against Mr. Mangione must be dismissed," the court filing read.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Thompson, who was shot in the back on December 4, 2024, while walking along West 54th Street in New York City.
Following the murder, Mangione received support from many people frustrated with the state of US healthcare.
In a statement put out by the DOJ in April, Bondi presumed Mangione's guilt and called it a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination," before calling for the death penalty.
"The murder was an act of political violence," Bondi claimed. "I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case."
Cover photo: REUTERS