All of the pieces of the brazen assassination on a Manhattan sidewalk that riveted the nation one early morning in December 2024 fell into place on Friday in a federal courtroom.
In just 10 minutes, Luigi Mangione told a judge how he had researched and stalked Brian Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, leaving him bleeding on the sidewalk as he fled after shooting him.
For Mr. Mangione, 28, who pleaded guilty on Friday to two federal counts of stalking Mr. Thompson leading to his death, his remarks in court were his first public admission about that morning. The shooting led to horror and grief but also prompted some to rally in support of a gunman whose violent act was seen as a protest against the nation’s health insurance industry.
He could face up to life in prison.
At the time of his arrest, Mr. Mangione was found with a document that prosecutors have called a manifesto decrying America’s system of for-profit health care and the “parasites” of the insurance industry. He did not use such words in court on Friday, but his message was unmistakable as he described how he had plotted and carried out the attack.
Addressing the court, Mr. Mangione said that after enduring years of severe pain from an injured back and navigating the health insurance system, he tracked down the location of the annual investor conference for UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest health insurer, by posing as a wealthy investor to solicit information from the company. The conference was to be held in Midtown on Dec. 4, 2024. When that day arrived, Mr. Mangione said, he shot Mr. Thompson with a gun he partially 3-D printed.
He was charged in the killing in both federal and state courts. The state court charges initially included a terrorism count, while in federal court, a firearms count carried the possibility of the death penalty. While those charges were later dismissed, Mr. Mangione’s case retained its distinct place in the public psyche.
For federal and state prosecutors, the charges appeared to acknowledge the seismic effect the shooting had on American society and the groundswell of support for Mr. Mangione.
The guilty plea to the federal stalking charges came just weeks before Mr. Mangione was scheduled to be tried in state court for Mr. Thompson’s murder, a case whose future is now in question.
Within an hour of the plea, Mr. Mangione’s lawyers had asked the judge in state court to dismiss his murder case there, citing double jeopardy protections, which generally bar someone from being tried twice for the same offense. In state court, Mr. Mangione faces a second-degree murder charge, which carries a sentence of 25 years to life, among other counts.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which has been prosecuting the state case, said on Friday that it had been “tirelessly preparing to pursue a trial conviction” for what it described as the “coldblooded murder” of Mr. Thompson.
The federal judge, Margaret Garnett, said she would sentence Mr. Mangione on Dec. 18.
In a statement, the victim’s family said of Mr. Thompson: “While nothing will ease the pain of losing him, we are grateful that the federal justice system has held the person responsible for this heinous act accountable.
“Now, we look to the court to ensure that sentencing reflects the severity of this crime.”
The Manhattan U.S. attorney, Jamie McDonald, said: “No grievance, political belief or ideological cause can justify murder. With today’s guilty plea, Mangione is being held accountable for a heinous crime that claimed an innocent life and drew national attention.”
Mr. Mangione’s lead lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, said outside the courthouse that her client had “accepted full responsibility for the death of Brian Thompson.”
Although the guilty plea will not end Mr. Mangione’s legal fight, it gave the public an understanding of what led to the killing of Mr. Thompson, 50.
For nearly two years, Mr. Mangione’s supporters have gathered outside his court appearances, creating an atmosphere sharply at odds with the charges against him. On Friday, some attended Mr. Mangione’s plea, observing from the gallery.
In court, Mr. Mangione sat between two of his lawyers at the defense table, speaking deliberately, reading from a prepared statement that detailed how he had plotted the killing.
The judge had warned spectators that if there were any outbursts, the offenders would be removed. As Mr. Mangione spoke, the packed courtroom was silent.
He told the judge that he researched the investor conference online and found that doctors, nurses and patients would not be there — even though, he said, the company’s stated mission was to “make the health system work better for everyone.” Instead, the attendees would be executives, the board of directors and hundreds of investors.
He said he used a 3-D printer to make part of a firearm, which he equipped with a silencer and a magazine.
Mr. Mangione said he traveled from outside of New York to Manhattan in November 2024. He then emailed UnitedHealthcare’s leadership, he said, claiming that he was an investor at a firm managing over $50 billion in assets and wanted information about the conference.
“Unlike my previous interactions with insurers,” he said, “I received an immediate response within an hour.”
His travel to New York and his email, he told the judge, were “with the intent to shoot Brian Thompson.”
His voice steady and showing little emotion, Mr. Mangione concluded: “On the morning of Dec. 4, 2024, I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan and he died. When I did so, I understood that my actions would place him in fear of death or serious bodily injury. I knew what I was doing was illegal.”
Kate Christobek, Anusha Bayya, Mack Liederman, Wesley Parnell, Oishika Neogi, Sarah Chatta and Liam Stack contributed reporting.
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