Luigi Mangione's legal team argues that Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's call for the death penalty in the case involving the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is riddled with conflicts of interest arising from her previous role as a lobbyist. Specifically, Mangione's defense claims that Bondi worked at Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm that represented UnitedHealth Group, Thompson's employer. This involvement creates a "profound conflict of interest" that they assert violates Mangione’s due process rights.
According to court documents filed late Friday, Mangione's lawyers are requesting to prohibit prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty and to dismiss some charges against him. A hearing is scheduled for January 9, 2026, during which these issues will be addressed. They argue that Bondi breached her ethical commitment made before she took office in February by participating in decisions related to capital punishment for Mangione’s case, despite her vow to recuse herself from matters involving her former lobbying clients.
The defense claims that Bondi continues to benefit financially from her association with Ballard Partners and its relationship with UnitedHealth Group through profit-sharing and a defined contribution plan. They emphasize that Bondi, the very person deciding Mangione’s fate, has a financial interest in the outcome of the case she is overseeing.
In April 2025, Bondi announced her directive to Manhattan federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Mangione, labeling the killing as a "premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America." Thompson was shot and killed on December 4, 2024, while walking to a Manhattan hotel for an annual investor conference. Surveillance footage captured the incident, revealing a masked gunman approaching Thompson from behind. Notably, police found words like "delay," "deny," and "depose" written on the ammunition casings, echoing tactics used by insurance companies to avoid paying claims.
Arrested on December 9, 2024, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Mangione, a 27-year-old Ivy League graduate from a wealthy family, has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state murder charges. The state charges could result in life imprisonment. As legal proceedings unfold, Mangione's defense team, led by Karen Friedman-Agnifilo and Marc Agnifilo, aims to leverage Bondi's lobbying history to persuade U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett to quash the death penalty and dismiss certain charges while also working to exclude evidence collected during his arrest.
Following a lengthy pretrial hearing, focus returned to Mangione’s federal case, with his lawyers arguing that Bondi’s decision to pursue capital punishment stems from political motivations rather than merit. They believe her public statements and the high-profile nature of Mangione's arrest have compromised his constitutional rights and distorted the grand jury process leading to his indictment.
In a prior court filing, federal prosecutors contended that intense pretrial publicity does not inherently violate constitutional rights and opposed the defense's request to dismiss the indictment or prevent seeking the death penalty. They suggest that any potential bias can be mitigated by thorough questioning of prospective jurors about their awareness of the case, asserting that Mangione's claims lack merit.
Mangione’s legal team intends to investigate Bondi’s relationship with Ballard Partners and its ties to UnitedHealth Group. They seek comprehensive documentation concerning Bondi's compensation, any directives given to Justice Department officials regarding the case, and testimony from individuals familiar with the relevant issues. This case continues to develop, with significant implications not only for Mangione but also for the judicial integrity surrounding capital punishment proceedings.
