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Luigi Mangione, aged 26, pleaded not guilty on Friday (April 25) to federal charges related to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The charges include murder through the use of a firearm, two counts of stalking, and a firearms offense involving a silencer. Mangione entered his plea in a Manhattan federal court, appearing in mustard-colored prison attire.
The charges stem from the December 4 shooting of Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk, where he was attending an investors' conference. Two shell casings found at the scene had the words "deny," "depose," and "delay" inscribed on them. Mangione was arrested after a five-day manhunt at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, citing the alleged intentional nature of the crime and Mangione's purported aim to incite resistance against the healthcare industry. They also noted his alleged attempt to evade law enforcement by fleeing New York City and crossing state lines with a firearm and silencer.
In addition to the federal charges, Mangione faces state charges in New York and Pennsylvania, including first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism and other related offenses. He has also pleaded not guilty to these charges.