Luigi Mangione's legal team is asking a judge to prevent federal prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty in the murder case of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. They argue that the case has been prejudiced by the government's actions, which they claim turned his arrest into a sensationalized event akin to a "Marvel movie."

The request comes after Mangione's lawyers recently succeeded in having terrorism charges dropped in his state murder case. They are now focusing on the federal case, citing U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi's comments made before Mangione's April indictment. Bondi stated that the killing was a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America," which the defense argues has tainted the proceedings.

In their court filing, Mangione's attorneys contend that Bondi's public statements and the manner of his arrest—where he was led by armed officers in a highly publicized perp walk—have violated his constitutional rights. They are urging U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett to intervene and stop the case from moving forward as a death penalty prosecution.

Bondi's announcement in April marked the first time the Justice Department indicated it would pursue a capital case since President Donald Trump took office, pledging to resume federal executions that had been halted under his predecessor, President Joe Biden. Mangione's defense team claims that Bondi's actions, including her social media posts and television appearances, demonstrate that the decision to seek the death penalty was politically motivated rather than based on the merits of the case.

Trump also weighed in on the case, making comments about Mangione's actions during a recent interview, despite existing court rules that limit pretrial publicity. He described Mangione as a "pure assassin" and emphasized the severity of the crime.

Mangione's lawyers acknowledge the difficulty of dismissing an indictment based on pretrial publicity but argue that the level of prejudice in this case is unprecedented. They have filed a 114-page document outlining their concerns.

Federal prosecutors have until October 31 to respond to the motion. Mangione is scheduled to appear in court for the federal case on December 5, shortly after pretrial hearings begin in his state case. No trial dates have been set for either case.

The 27-year-old Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal murder charges. Surveillance footage captured the shooting of Thompson, 50, on December 4, 2024, as he arrived at a Manhattan hotel for a conference. Authorities allege that Mangione was found with a 9 mm handgun and a notebook detailing his intentions against an insurance executive.

Mangione's defense team argues that the concurrent prosecutions constitute double jeopardy. In the federal case, he faces charges of murder with a firearm, which could lead to the death penalty, as well as stalking and gun-related offenses. Recently, a judge dismissed terrorism charges in the state case, which could have resulted in a life sentence without parole. However, the judge did not dismiss the state prosecution entirely, stating that the double jeopardy claim is premature since neither case has gone to trial.

The state case will continue with other charges, including intentional murder, which carries a potential sentence of 15 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Unlike the federal system, New York does not impose the death penalty.

Mangione has garnered a following among those frustrated with the health insurance industry, with supporters attending his court hearings, some wearing green in reference to the video game character Luigi.