Summary

  • Luigi Mangione admits killing healthcare boss Brian Thompson, as he pleads guilty to federal charges in New York

  • "I shot Mr Thompson," Mangione tells the the judge - his voice was steady as he read his statement to a tense and silent courtroom, our reporter writes from the room

  • Thompson, a 50-year-old father-of-two, was shot in the back as he left his hotel in Manhattan in 2024 - his family say Mangione's sentence must reflect the severity of such a "heinous act"

  • "There can be no celebrity in assassination," prosecutor Jamie McDonald tells Mangione supporters, adding that Mangione disagreed with the healthcare industry and "attempted to send a public message through violence"

  • Mangione, 28, still faces a separate state trial over Thompson's death; he previously pleaded not guilty to those charges

  • What happens now? On the court's steps, Mangione's lawyers confirm they will attempt to have the state trial thrown out by arguing he cannot be tried for the same crime twice, known as double jeopardy

Live Reporting

Edited by Kathryn Armstrong and Caitlin Wilson with Kayla Epstein, Nada Tawfik and Grace Goodwin at court

  1. Speculation of a plea deal in overdrive since yesterday

    Nada Tawfik
    Reporting from court

    The moment this hearing was announced, speculation went into overdrive even before sources told several US media outlets that a plea deal was being discussed.

    With the state trial due to start on 8 September, Luigi Mangione’s lawyers would normally be laser focused on preparing their defence, which signals that this last-minute hearing for a federal trial in January must be more than a procedural discussion.

    Reportedly, Mangione’s team met with him yesterday at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn where he has been detained.

    But legal experts caution that even if a plea deal is in the works, the 28-year-old could still change his mind.

  2. What happens today could impact Mangione's state trial

    A curly haired man purses his lips and glances to the left, while wearing a grey blazer and a white button up shirt.Getty Images

    Mangione faces two separate criminal prosecutions – in New York state court as well as federal court – over the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

    As we mentioned earlier, he has pleaded not guilty to all charges in both cases, and his state trial is scheduled to begin next month.

    But if Mangione pleads guilty in his federal case, it could open the door for his lawyers to argue the state case runs afoul of double jeopardy – a constitutional protection that prevents an individual from being prosecuted twice for the same crime.

    New York's state constitution has its own prohibition on double jeopardy, which could have a knock-on effect on Mangione's upcoming state trial.

    "If a federal prosecution has been completed on a matter, the state cannot prosecute the matter on those same facts," said Mitchell Epner, a lawyer and former federal prosecutor.

  3. Mangione to appear in court as plea deal rumours swirl

    Sakshi Venkatraman
    Live reporter

    In about an hour, Luigi Mangione will appear in a federal court in New York, where he faces charges related to the 2024 killing of United Healthcare chief executive Brian Thompson.

    The hastily scheduled hearing comes as rumours circulate that Mangione has struck a plea deal with prosecutors.

    If that’s true, it could have a cascading impact over his separate upcoming New York state murder trial, which is slated to begin next month.

    But the details of the rumoured agreement are still unclear, and discussions of a plea deal does not guarantee one will be reached. Such arrangements can fall apart at any time, and deals must also be approved by the court.

    The 28-year-old faces two federal stalking charges that carry a maximum penalty of life in prison without parole.

    He's previously pleaded not guilty to all charges in both cases.

    We'll bring you more information on what plea deals are, the charges Mangione faces, and the significance of the two separate trials. We will also have the latest from inside the court from our reporters.