U.S. Files Murder Charge Against Mangione That Could Bring Death Penalty

[The Grand Illuminist]

Source: New York Times

Federal prosecutors on Thursday unsealed a murder case against the suspect in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive, holding out the possibility of the death penalty even after a trial on separate state charges.

The federal criminal complaint against the suspect, Luigi Mangione, 26, includes one count of using a firearm to commit murder, which carries a maximum potential sentence of death, along with two stalking counts and a firearms offense.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/19/nyregion/luigi-mangione-federal-charges.html

[Dennis Donovan]

1. When they find him guilty and sentence him to death, it will be to make an example of him. n/t

[paleotn]

2. That might be the point but it won't work. If it were a deterrent, TX would be free of murders ages ago.

[marble falls]

29. The death penalty as a strategy to reduce crime has been abject failure here in the United States:

At least 21 countries performed executions in 2022:[8][41][42]

Americas (1 country): United States (18)
Asia (13 countries): Afghanistan (unknown), Bangladesh (4), China (unknown), Iran (596+), Iraq (unknown), Japan (1), Kuwait (7), North Korea (unknown), Saudi Arabia (146), Singapore (11), Syria (unknown), Vietnam (unknown), Yemen (1)
Africa (3 countries): Egypt (unknown), Somalia (19), South Sudan (2)

I would not want to be known by the company the US keeps that are in the execution club.

Precise numbers are unavailable for some countries, so the total number of executions is unknown. Other countries, like Myanmar and Libya, have conducted extrajudicial executions.

[Dan]

11. Actually, it would be a message

To the rest of the common masses of America’s washed and unwashed that violence against the oligarchs is not acceptable.

The message that no new class warfare will not be tolerated. That the only acceptable class warfare that is tolerated is the Rich using policies that eliminate the poor/middle-class.

But then again - go ahead, make him a martyr - and give a name to the policies of the Rich over the rest of us.

[iemanja]

14. A jury has to go along with it

I don’t see that happening, particularly if the trial is held in NY.

[yardwork]

18. I didn't read that poster's meaning that way.

I read Dan's post as a rhetorical comment aimed at the oligarchs. "Go ahead, make him a martyr..."

[Dennis Donovan]

22. I could've read it wrong.

It was my first interaction with DU for the day so I might not have been awake enough to grasp that.

I'll self-delete my post.

[LeftInTX]

25. Just because charges are death penalty eligible that doesn't mean they will pursue it.

John Gotti was charged with numerous death penalty eligible charges and the feds didn't pursue it.

Federal statutes:
(b)Within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States,
Whoever is guilty of murder in the first degree shall be punished by death or by imprisonment for life;

Whoever is guilty of murder in the second degree, shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life.

__________________

Not many first degree murderers are on death row in the federal system.

[yaesu]

3. If Luigi were tRump those charges would be dismissed nt

[GreenWave]

7. Yeppers. With the excuse "I thought I was on 5th Avenue."

[yardwork]

19. I needed that chuckle! Thanks.

[Meowmee]

38. 😹 good one

[70sEraVet]

4. My understanding is that NY State doesnt have a death penalty

I can understand adding federal charges, but it doesn't seem that the federal charges should rise to a capital punishment case and over-ride the state's prohibition against the death penalty.

[The Grand Illuminist]

8. Since NY brought terror charges

The feds will take over.

[Tanuki]

10. The Boston Marathon bomber received the death sentence

under Federal charges even though Massachusetts is also not a death penalty state.

[LeftInTX]

27. The headline is over blown. All federal first degree murder charges are death penalty eligible.

That does not mean they will pursue it. It rarely is pursued in the federal system. The most recent high profile were Dylann Roof, the Tree of Life mass shooter, McVeigh and Tsarnaev. But they were mass murderers.

They didn't pursue the death penalty for John Gotti. And look at him.

[TBF]

6. Not surprised - he allegedly attacked Capital.

That is the one thing you don't get away with in this country.

Unless you are Elon Musk of course.

[Tarc]

9. Joe should pardon him on 1-19-25.

That is all.

[Polybius]

24. His own Justice Department is charging him

Plus he would still face state charges in NY.

[Figarosmom]

12. Why? How is this murder so different from others?

There are plenty of people murdered because of their jobs. Why is this guy any different? Feds going after him as a terrorist on weapons charges? Then they better start treating murder of everyday people that are murdered just because of their jobs the same as this rich guy.

[Karasu]

15. It's a transparent attempt at intimidation and shutting down dissent towards the status quo.

[LeftInTX]

23. The feds aren't charging him with terrorism. New York state is. The feds are charging him with stalking.

The feds are charging him with cyberstalking, illegal (homemade and silencer) firearm and murder as a result of stalking.

I doubt if he will get the death penalty. All first degree murder cases are eligible, but it is rarely pursued.

New York State apparently has the case first anyway.
If the state's case doesn't pan out, then the feds will have a shot. They will not even consider whether they will pursue the death penalty until after the state has finished their case. There is a chance that he may be acquitted in the New York case, because the state charges are complicated.

New York is charging him with terrorism because that is the only way they can charge him with first degree murder. Premediated murder in New York is second degree.

[Scrivener7]

17. Well, then. Aren't you the rabble rouser.

Sometimes I wonder if posters aren't trying to make other posters make ridiculous statements. And when I wonder that, I wonder why they'd do such a thing. But I don't wonder for long.

[yardwork]

20. Was that DU's pet troll?

[Scrivener7]

26. No. I think it might have been a different one.

[sarisataka]

21. It is no different when the State pulls the trigger, metaphorically

Murder is wrong

[bucolic_frolic]

28. The guy was brazen and unflappable

almost as if, like most people who commit murders, like they could get away with it. In broad daylight.

[Omnipresent]

30. John Lennon's killer didn't get the death penalty.

John was a man who uplifted people with his music and was beloved by the masses.
That piece of shit CEO Thompson worked at doing the exact opposite!

[C0RI0LANUS]

32. I remember that awful night. I couldn't believe my ears when Howard Cosell announced the news on MNF. Great point.

[LeftInTX]

34. Chapman is mentally ill and he was charged by the state of New York. John Hinckley didn't get the DP either.

This is federal first degree murder. All federal first degree murder cases are death penalty eligible. Just because a crime is eligible for the DP doesn't mean that the DP will be pursued.

Death penalty is the maximum punishment.

The case is going to the state of NY first. If he is found guilty of murder by NY, he won't be charged for murder by the feds.

[C0RI0LANUS]

31. The American Establishment Won't Tolerate Attacks Against Capitalism

Since the crime occurred in NYC, NYPD detectives began the nationwide manhunt for the alleged killer of the UHC CEO. Therefore, the murder case should be tried by Manhattan County District Attorney Alvin Bragg. But the Empire State does not have capital punishment, so the federal government (through the SDNY AUSA) charged the alleged culprit with a litany of charges that includes death by lethal injection.

From the official AUSA statement:

As alleged, Luigi Mangione traveled to New York to stalk and shoot Thompson in broad daylight in front of a Manhattan hotel, all in a grossly misguided attempt to broadcast Mangione’s views across the country.

The US Attorney admits the USG wants to quash the "misguided" message, as well as the messenger.

But other federally convicted murderers have not been executed. According to the US BOP, there are 4,982 prisoners incarcerated for Homicide, Aggravated Assault, and Kidnapping Offenses.

Since 1976, sixteen people have been executed under federal jurisdiction by the US federal government. All were executed by lethal injection at the United States Penitentiary in Terre Haute, IN.

One of the most infamous federal executions was Timothy McVeigh over 20 years ago. Instead of being imprisoned in a Supermax BOP facility for life, American society demanded vengeance for the 168 people killed, including 19 children, and 684 injured in his terrorist attack in Oklahoma City, and so McVeigh was executed.

Today, the elites seem to be demanding vengeance-- not justice-- for killing one of their own, else the Manhattan DA would be trying this open and shut murder case. But since Mangione won't face the death penalty in a NYS court, Uncle Sam intervened.



The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Sources:

https://www.bop.gov/about/statistics/statistics_inmate_offenses.jsp

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/luigi-mangione-charged-stalking-and-murder-unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-and-use

https://www.justice.gov/d9/2024-12/signed_complaint_mangione.pdf

https://manhattanda.org/

[LeftInTX]

33. He has only been indicted on first degree murder.

All federal first degree murder cases are punishable by death or life in person.

I doubt if they will pursue the death penalty in this case. He's not been indicated for terrorism by the feds. His supporting crimes are: home made weapon, stalking and cyberstalking.

Thousands of federal inmates have been found guilty of first degree murder and are not on death row, even though their charges were eligible.
There are only 40 inmates on federal death row.

They didn't even pursue it for John Gotti. They didn't pursue it for El Chapo.

The headline is over the top.

[C0RI0LANUS]

35. Thanks, LeftInTX.

[LeftInTX]

36. Probably the only reason he's being charged for murder by the feds is fear that New York's case may fall apart.

Under New York's law he only qualifies for second degree murder, which means only 15-25 years. So, New York added terrorism to increase the charge to 1st degree, so that he could get life sentence. But he isn't guilty of terrorism in the strict sense. So there is a chance the New York case could fall apart.

New York's law is kinda weird, but they removed the term pre-mediated from their first degree murder laws and replaced it with a bunch of conditions. Killing of LE, first responder, judge or via rape, mutilation, torture or terrorism are what qualify for first degree in New York.

[C0RI0LANUS]

37. Thank you for clearing that up, LeftInTX. The laws seem to get murky and unclear at times.

And I wonder what Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is thinking right now. According to his 17 Dec press release and the Manhattan County indictment which was voted a True Bill before the Feds took over:

Mangione Charged with one count of Murder in the First Degree and two counts of Murder in the Second Degree

I am going to have a nice glass of wine over dinner with my wife and put this sordid affair out of mind for now.

Sources:

https://manhattanda.org/d-a-bragg-announces-murder-indictment-of-luigi-mangione/

https://manhattanda.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Mangione-Indictment-FINAL-as-filed.pdf