Luigi Mangione Moves To Get Death Penalty Dismissed With Bold Claims Against AG Pam Bondi
By Favour Adegoke on December 20, 2025 at 4:30 PM EST
Luigi Mangione has cried foul on his prosecution for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.
The suspected shooter says Attorney General Pam Bondi has a conflict of interest in his case because of her business ties to the company, and that's why she's calling for him to face the death penalty.
Now, Luigi Mangione's defense team wants the death penalty to be dismissed from the federal case, as he faces other charges.
Luigi Mangione's Lawyers Say Pam Bondi Has Financial Ties In The Case Due To Past Links To UHG
Mangione has come forward with shocking new claims in his federal trial for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
In new court documents filed on Friday and obtained by TMZ, Mangione's lawyers asked for the death penalty to be thrown out as they allege that Bondi maintains a fundamental conflict of interest in the case.
They claim that Bondi used to be a partner at American lobbying firm Ballard Partners, which lists UnitedHealth Group (UHG) as a client.
The defense team, led by Karen Friedman-Agnifilo and Marc Agnifilo, further added that Bondi continues to receive personal and financial benefits "in the form of a profit-sharing plan from Ballard's professional association with UHG."
Lawyers Say Pam Bondi's First Move As AG Was To Call For The Death Penalty Against The Suspected CEO Shooter
Elsewhere in the court document, Mangione's lawyers stated that Bondi's first order of business when she was announced as the attorney general was to seek a death penalty against the alleged shooter for allegedly killing the CEO of her former client.
Bondi's financial ties to the case don't sit right with his legal team, as they argue that she should have recused herself from it due to her history with the company.
Mangione's lawyers also added that it violates his due process rights and, hence, the death penalty should be thrown out.
What Pam Bondi Said About Seeking The Death Penalty In The Luigi Mangione Case
On February 5, 2025, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas swore Bondi into office as the 87th attorney general.
She took several actions before swiftly directing authorities to pursue the death penalty against the 27-year-old suspect in April.
Her statement read, "Luigi Mangione's murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America."
Bondi added, "After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again."
Luigi Mangione Lied About His Identity To Cops
Mangione remains in custody without bail, with federal prosecutors charging him with stalking and murder through the use of a firearm in connection with Thompson's death.
In a court session earlier this month, a police body cam footage was shown at length, revealing that before his arrest, Mangione initially pretended to be homeless and gave cops a fake ID while being questioned.
His arrest took place at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, five days after he allegedly killed Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel.
In the clip, two officers approached him to see how he reacted, but he kept a cool head and continued with his laptop computer. One of the cops, identified as Officer Detwiler, said he immediately recognized him even though he told them his name was "Mark Rosario."
He proceeded to hand them a New Jersey I.D., but cops determined it to be fake before he admitted he'd been to New York recently. The officer then asked him what he was doing in New York, but he didn't respond.
That was when Detwiler called on his colleagues, saying, "It's him. He's acting real nervous."
Cops Moved The Alleged Killer's Bag For Fear Of A Firearm, But He Claims It Was Unlawfully Searched
Mangione changed his story as the cops pressed him further in the restaurant. One of them asked him if he had visited family members in New York, but he simply replied, "homeless."
They asked again if he'd been to New York recently, but he said "No," which was a different tale from what he initially told them.
Detwiler then got in a chat with him, seemingly to quell his suspicions as he told him McDonald's has a policy of calling the cops if customers stay too long. He then advised the suspect not to stay as long before moving his backpack for fear that there was a firearm in it.
Mangione's lawyers have now stated that the cops unlawfully searched his bag, arguing that anything found in there is inadmissible in court.
