Jury selection in the federal murder trial of Luigi Mangione is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett said Jan. 23.
The 27-year-old is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside the New York Hilton Midtown in late 2024. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to four federal charges, including murder through use of a firearm, as well as state murder charges.
The next milestone in the federal case will depend on Judge Garnett’s decision on whether Mangione will face the death penalty, which Attorney General Pamela Bondi directed federal prosecutors to pursue in April. If Judge Garnett removes capital punishment as an option, the trial would begin Oct. 13; if she allows the case to proceed as a capital case, the trial would start in early 2027, according to reporting from The Guardian.
Following the scheduling announcement, Altoona, Pa., Deputy Police Chief Nathan Snyder testified about search procedures used during Mangione’s arrest. Mangione’s defense team is arguing that the officers conducted an illegal search of his backpack, which allegedly contained a firearm, loaded magazine and notebook, and are seeking to have that evidence excluded from trial. Judge Garnett is expected to rule on the evidence dispute at a later date, per The Guardian.
