Luigi Mangione, the suspected assassin of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was extradited to New York on Thursday and slapped with federal charges for the cold-blooded killing.
Mangione is being charged in Manhattan with stalking, murder using a firearm, and using a firearm in the commission of a crime, adding to the lengthy list of charges he is battling in New York and Pennsylvania for the killing of Thompson.
Federal prosecutors accused Mangione of plotting since August to kill Thompson and conducting surveillance measures ahead of time, while concealing his identity. The complaint against him cites multiple notebook entries Mangione wrote describing his plan to kill a health insurance executive at an investor conference. Prosecutors have the option of pursuing the death penalty against Mangione with the new murder charges.
“The federal government’s reported decision to pile on top of an already overcharged first-degree murder and state terror case is highly unusual and raises serious constitutional and statutory double jeopardy concerns,” Mangione’s New York defense attorney Karen Agnifilo told Fox News.
“We are ready to fight these charges in whatever court they are brought.”
Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg (D) announced Tuesday murder and terrorism charges against Mangione for allegedly killing Thompson outside a Midtown, Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4 during a trip for UnitedHealth’s annual shareholder conference. Mangione is also facing charges in New York and Pennsylvania for weapons possession and carrying fake IDs.
Mangione’s day began with hearings in Pennsylvania for his extradition and weapons and fraudulent documents charges. His defense team filed an extradition waiver Thursday morning, setting the stage for him to appear in Manhattan.
New York governor Kathy Hochul (D) said Wednesday she was prepared to step in and file a governor’s warrant if Mangione did not waive his extradition rights so that he could be prosecuted in the Empire State.
Local law enforcement arrested Mangione in Altoona, Pennsylvania five days after the alleged assassination thanks to a tip from an employee in a McDonald’s where he stopped to eat. Mangione allegedly possessed a ghost gun, a silencer, and a manifesto containing a confession and a screed against the health insurance industry.
He grew up in a wealthy, well-connected family in Maryland and received two computer science degrees from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. Mangione lived in California and Hawaii while working in the tech industry. He lost contact with friends and family a few months ago after undergoing back surgery after dealing with spinal problems for a number of years.
Mangione has become a hero among online progressive because of the ruthless, calculated killing of a man whom certain leftists consider an avatar of the health insurance industry. Progressive politicians have attempted to use Mangione’s suspected assassination to start a conversation about healthcare policy, instead of simply condemning the murder outright.