Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to federal charges in CEOs murder – National [Video]

Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty on Friday to federal charges of gunning down health insurance executive Brian Thompson, a day after prosecutors formally stated their intent to seek the death penalty.

Wearing a tan jail-issued t-shirt in a packed lower Manhattan courtroom, Mangione stood up as U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett asked for his plea.

“Not guilty,” Mangione said, leaning down to speak into a microphone on the defense table.

Mangione, 26, previously pleaded not guilty to a separate set of New York state charges over the December 4 killing of Thompson, the former CEO of UnitedHealth Group’s insurance unit UnitedHealthcare.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month announced that the Justice Department would seek the death penalty for Mangione. The Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office formalized their intent in a Thursday night court filing.

Mangione’s lawyers have said Bondi’s April 1 announcement was “unapologetically political” and breached government protocols for death …