Attorneys for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, have launched a major legal challenge. They argue that Attorney General Pam Bondi's decision to seek the death penalty is tainted by a profound conflict of interest, stemming from her previous role as a lobbyist for a firm that represented the insurer's parent company.
The Core Conflict: Bondi's Past Lobbying Role
In a court filing submitted late Friday, Mangione's defence team detailed their allegations. Before leading the Justice Department's charge to turn the federal prosecution into a capital case, Bondi was a partner at Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm. The lawyers assert this creates an ethical breach, as Ballard Partners previously represented UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of UnitedHealthcare.
They contend that by involving herself in the death penalty decision and making public statements suggesting Mangione deserves execution, Bondi broke an ethical vow. She had promised upon taking office in February to recuse herself for one year from matters pertaining to Ballard clients.
"The very person empowered to seek Mangione's death has a financial stake in the case she is prosecuting," his lawyers wrote. They argue Bondi continues to profit from her work for Ballard through a profit-sharing arrangement and a defined contribution plan, indirectly benefiting from the firm's past work for UnitedHealth.
Legal Battle Intensifies Ahead of January Hearing
The defence is seeking to block federal prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty and to have some charges dismissed. A crucial hearing on this conflict-of-interest motion is scheduled for January 9. This filing shifts focus back to the federal case after a marathon pretrial hearing in the separate state case concluded recently.
Mangione's lead attorneys, the husband-and-wife duo of Karen Friedman-Agnifilo and Marc Agnifilo, are zeroing in on Bondi's past to convince U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett to rule out capital punishment. They also aim to exclude evidence like the gun and a notebook found during his arrest, which they are similarly trying to suppress in the state case.
In their arguments, the defence claims Bondi's April announcement—where she directed Manhattan federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty even before formal indictment—was "based on politics, not merit." They allege her public remarks, including Instagram posts and a TV appearance, tainted the grand jury process that led to his indictment weeks later.
Prosecution's Response and Case Background
Federal prosecutors, in a filing last month, countered these claims. They argued that "pretrial publicity, even when intense, is not itself a constitutional defect." Instead of dismissing the case or barring the death penalty, they suggested the defence's concerns should be addressed through rigorous jury selection and safeguarding Mangione's rights during the trial.
Prosecutors dismissed the defence's motion as a repackaging of old arguments, stating, "None warrants dismissal of the indictment or categorical preclusion of a congressionally authorized punishment."
The case stems from the December 4, 2024 killing of 50-year-old Brian Thompson. The CEO was shot from behind by a masked gunman as he walked to a Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Group's investor conference. Ammunition at the scene was inscribed with the words "delay," "deny," and "depose," phrases associated with insurance claim disputes.
Mangione, a 27-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a Pennsylvania McDonald's. He has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state murder charges. While trial dates are not set, the state case carries a potential life sentence. The defence now plans to investigate Bondi's ties to Ballard further, seeking details of her compensation and sworn testimony from relevant individuals.
