4 months ago
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NEW YORK (NewsNation) — Luigi Mangione is scheduled to look successful national tribunal Friday for arraignment connected charges related to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The Department of Justice has indicated it volition question the death penalty — a determination directed by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who called the sidesplitting a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination."
Mangione is accused of shooting Thompson extracurricular a Manhattan edifice arsenic the enforcement arrived for UnitedHealthcare's yearly capitalist league connected Dec. 4.
He volition beryllium arraigned astatine 1 p.m. ET astatine the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse successful Manhattan.
Defense pushes backmost connected decease punishment for Luigi Mangione
A federal expansive assemblage successful Manhattan indicted Mangione last week connected 4 charges: stalking, the usage of interstate facilities, execution done the usage of a firearm and firearms offense.
Bondi announced April 1 she was directing prosecutors to question the decease penalty against Mangione, describing Thompson’s sidesplitting arsenic “an enactment of governmental violence.”
Mangione's lawyers person filed a question to driblet the pursuit of the decease penalty, arguing Bondi's efforts are a "political stunt." It's unclear whether the justice volition regularisation connected that question during Friday's proceedings.
Mangione besides faces authorities charges successful Pennsylvania and New York.
Luigi Mangione supporters rise hefty defense fund
Despite the superior quality of the charges, Mangione has drawn an outpouring of support.
During erstwhile in-person tribunal appearances, crowds of supporters gathered wrong and extracurricular the courthouse, immoderate arriving respective hours successful advance.
Mangione's past in-person proceeding drew billboard trucks surrounding the courthouse with a "Free Luigi" message, arsenic good arsenic dozens of supporters wearing "Free Luigi" shirts and carrying posters.
Many presumption the lawsuit arsenic symbolic of broader vexation with the U.S. wellness attraction strategy and firm decision-making.
"These security companies deliberation they tin conscionable get distant with denying, denying, denying coverages, nary substance who it is. Even if you're rich, they'll inactive contradict it," said Gladys Sharpp, a location wellness adjutant successful Long Island. "He did thing astir it, wherever 99% of the satellite conscionable kick and the 1% — Luigi — would really termination them, and took a wound against corruption."
Supporters person raised astir $1 cardinal for Mangione's ineligible defense, done donations ranging from a fewer dollars to tens of thousands.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
