The judge in Luigi Mangione’s state trial set a June 8 trial date for New York’s case against him for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, leading Mangione to have an outburst Friday as court concluded.
The judge started the proceedings by saying it appears the federal government had reneged on their agreement to let the state trial go first by setting a date of Sept. 8 to begin jury selection in the federal trial, with opening statements on Oct. 13.
However, that trial date may be delayed if the federal government appeals the decision to throw out the charges against Mangione that were eligible for the death penalty. The judge said in the event the federal trial is indeed delayed, then the state trial would proceed on Sept. 8 instead.
The judge told Mangione’s defense attorneys to be ready to proceed on June 8.
Earlier this year, state prosecutors requested a July 1 trial date for Mangione on the state charges. Mangione’s attorneys said this request is unreasonable as they need the rest of the year to prepare for the federal trial.
There were approximately two dozen Mangione supporters in the courtroom Friday. One wore a shirt with the message “Luigi Mangione: Not in the Epstein files” on it.
“Double jeopardy,” Mangione says in court
Mangione’s defense said their client is being put in an untenable situation as the tug-of-war between state and federal prosecutions plays out.
As court concluded, Mangione, who was wearing tan prison clothing and was handcuffed, had an outburst, shouting, “It’s the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any common sense definition.”
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office did not comment after court.
“Double jeopardy is meant to protect people, and they’re using it as a weapon here, so it’s unfair,” she said.
Legal expert Rich Schoenstein, who is not affiliated with Mangione’s case, weighed in.
“If he goes to trial in one of these courts and then a jury is sworn in in another court, that is a potential double jeopardy situation, but he’s not subject to double jeopardy yet,” Schoenstein said. “It’s not double jeopardy just because he’s being prosecuted in two different courts. That happens all the time.”
He also said the battle over which case will go first is unusual since normally, he says, prosecutors work together.
“Now what you have is a mess with two courts racing to try to get to the prosecution of this defendant,” he said.
Judge rules federal prosecutors can’t seek death penalty
Mangione, 27, is facing both federal and state charges in the 2024 killing of Thompson. He is accused of gunning the CEO down outside a Midtown hotel, setting off a manhunt spanning several states.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Federal Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed the federal firearms charges against Mangione that carried the possibility of the death penalty just before the last court date.
But, she left stalking charges in place against him that can bring a maximum punishment of life in prison without the opportunity for parole.
Mangione’s attorney, Karen Agnifilo, thanked the court for “this incredible decision.”
“We’re all very relieved,” Agnifilo said. “We’re prepared, and have been prepared, to fight this case, and we look forward to fighting this case.”
The defense asked the judge to suppress the 3D-printed handgun, loaded magazine, notebook, nap and “survival kit” that were in the bag. They said the evidence was recovered during a warrantless search.
Police said it’s standard procedure to take property like a backpack during an arrest. It also would be standard procedure to search the backpack, officers testified.
A decision about the use of the backpack evidence in Mangione’s state trial is expected to be announced in May.
Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed the federal firearms charges against Mangione that carried the possibility of the death penalty, but left in place a stalking charge against him that can bring a maximum punishment of life in prison.
Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state charges in the killing of Thompson.
Jury selection in the federal case is now set to begin on September 8, although state prosecutors are seeking to try him sooner, as early as July 1.
Mangione back in court Friday
The ruling came as Mangione was due back in court Friday for a hearing regarding his federal case.
The judge is also considering whether evidence seized during Mangione’s arrest will be admissible.
Mangione initially faced a four count federal indictment for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, but his defense team had been fighting to dismiss two counts, which the judge has now agreed to.
The judge is also expected to rule if prosecutors can show jurors certain pieces of evidence, including a 9mm handgun and a notebook found in Mangione’s bag in which they say he described his intent to “wack” a health insurance executive.
Manhattan DA wants state trial to begin in the summer
The Manhattan District Attorney wants the judge in Luigi Mangione’s state trial to set a date for July 1 to ensure it starts before his federal trial.
Mangione’s attorneys say they need the rest of the year to prepare for the federal trial. They called the request unreasonable.
Defense attorneys trying to get backpack evidence supressed
His last federal court appearance centered around the search of his backpack during his 2024 arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s.
A 3D-printed handgun, loaded magazine, notebook, map and a “survival kit” were found in the backpack. The defense asked the judge to suppress the evidence, arguing it was a warrantless search.
Police testified that it’s standard procedure to take property like a backpack from a suspect during an arrest. The search of the backpack would have also been standard procedure, officers said.
Prosecutors allege Mark Anderson arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where Mangione is being held, clamed he was an FBI agent with papers from a judge authorizing Mangione’s release, a federal law enforcement source said.
A fork, driver’s license and steel blade allegedly found in the bag of a man arrested for impersonating an FBI agent to free Luigi Mangione.
FBI
A search of Anderson turned up a barbecue fork and pizza cutter.
He’s now being held in the same complex as Mangione.
Luigi Mangione will not face death penalty, judge rules
I’M JASON NEWTON AND I’M ASHLEY HINSON. LUIGI MANGIONE. DEFENSE ATTORNEYS WANT TO BLOCK CERTAIN EVIDENCE FROM HIS UPCOMING TRIAL. MAGGIONI IS ACCUSED OF KILLING UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO BRIAN THOMPSON IN MANHATTAN. THAT WAS A YEAR AGO TODAY, THOUGH, POLICE OFFICERS FROM ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA, CONTINUE THEIR TESTIMONY ABOUT THE DAY OF MANGIONE’S ARREST. KHIREE JOINING US NOW IN KAI BODY CAMERA VIDEO PLAYED IN COURT TODAY, RIGHT? IT DID. AND ASHLEY JASON, THE BODY CAMERA VIDEO SHOWS THE MOMENTS AFTER POLICE RESPONDED TO THE ALTOONA MCDONALD’S WHERE THEY FOUND MANGIONE. THIS HAPPENED FIVE DAYS AFTER BRIAN THOMPSON’S MURDER. IN THE VIDEO, YOU CAN HEAR ONE OF THE OFFICERS SAY, QUOTE, IT’S HIM, DUDE, IT’S HIM. THAT’S IN REFERENCE TO PHOTOS CIRCULATING ONLINE SHOWING THE MAN POLICE SAY KILLED THOMPSON. ACCORDING TO OFFICER CHRISTINA WASSER, THEY BEGAN SEARCHING MANGIONE’S BAG AFTER PUTTING HIM IN HANDCUFFS. INSIDE THE BAG, THEY FOUND A LOADED GUN MAGAZINE. THE MAGAZINE WAS WRAPPED UP IN A PAIR OF UNDERWEAR. MANGIONE’S DEFENSE WANTS THE CONTENTS OF THAT BAG EXCLUDED FROM HIS TRIAL. THEY CLAIM OFFICERS DIDN’T HAVE A PROPER WARRANT TO SEARCH IT. TODAY, OFFICER WASSER SAID THAT SHE WAS FOLLOWING POLICE PROTOCOLS. THOSE PROTOCOLS, SHE TOLD THE COURT, REQUIRE OFFICERS SEARCH A SUSPECT’S PROPERTY AT THE TIME OF AN ARREST. OFFICER WASSER ALSO TESTIFIED MANGIONE WAS TOLD OF HIS RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT, WHICH HE INVOKED WHILE OFFICERS FOUND THE MAGAZINE AT THE SCENE. THEY DID NOT UNCOVER THE NOTEBOOK UNTIL THEY RETURNED TO THE POLICE STATION. MANGIONE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO STATE AND FEDERAL MURDER CHARGES. HIS TEAM TODAY ALSO CALLED ON A JUDGE TO BAN THE WORDS,
Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, a federal district judge ruled.The decision is a loss for federal prosecutors, who were adamant about pursuing the death penalty in the case.This is a developing story and will be updated.
NEW YORK —
Luigi Mangione will not face the death penalty for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, a federal district judge ruled.
The decision is a loss for federal prosecutors, who were adamant about pursuing the death penalty in the case.
Luigi Mangione’s lawyers urged a judge on Saturday to bar federal prosecutors from seeking the death penalty in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, arguing that authorities prejudiced his case by turning his arrest into a “Marvel movie” spectacle and by publicly declaring their desire to see him executed.
Fresh from a legal victory that eliminated terrorism charges in Mangione’s state murder case, his lawyers are now fighting to have his federal case dismissed, seizing on U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s declaration prior to his April indictment that capital punishment is warranted for a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.”
Bondi’s statements and other official actions — including a highly choreographed perp walk that saw Mangione led up a Manhattan pier by armed officers, and the Trump administration’s flouting of established death penalty procedures — “have violated Mr. Mangione’s constitutional and statutory rights and have fatally prejudiced this death penalty case,” his lawyers argued in a court filing.
Mangione’s defense team, led by former Manhattan prosecutor Karen Friedman Agnifilo, implored U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett, an appointee of President Joe Biden, “to correct the errors made by the government and prevent this case from proceeding as a death penalty prosecution.”
Bondi announced in April that she was directing Manhattan federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Mangione. It was the first time the Justice Department said it was bringing a capital case after President Donald Trump returned to office Jan. 20 with a pledge to revive federal executions, which his predecessor Biden had put on hold.
Mangione’s lawyers argue that Bondi’s announcement — which she followed with Instagram posts and a TV appearance — showed the decision was “based on politics, not merit” and, they said, her remarks tainted the grand jury process that resulted in his indictment a few weeks later.
Trump, who oversaw an unprecedented run of 13 executions at the end of his first term, offered his own opinions about Mangione on Thursday — despite court rules that prohibit any pretrial publicity that could interfere with a defendant’s right to a fair trial.
“Think about Mangione. He shot someone in the back, as clear as you’re looking at me or I’m looking at you. He shot — he looked like a pure assassin,” Trump told Fox News.
“There is a high bar to dismissing an indictment due to pretrial publicity,” Mangione’s lawyers wrote in their 114-page filing. “However, there has never been a situation remotely like this one where prejudice has been so great against a death-eligible defendant.”
Federal prosecutors have until Oct. 31 to respond. Mangione is due back in court in the federal case Dec. 5, days after the start of pretrial hearings in his state case. No trial date has been set for either case.
Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal murder charges.
Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson, 50, from behind on Dec. 4, 2024, as he arrived to a Manhattan hotel for his company’s annual investor conference. Police say “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were scrawled on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.
Mangione, the Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of Manhattan. Authorities say he had a 9 mm handgun and a notebook describing his intent to “wack” an insurance executive.
Mangione’s lawyers contend the simultaneous prosecutions amount to double jeopardy.
In the federal case, Mangione is charged with murder through use of a firearm, which carries the possibility of the death penalty, as well as stalking and gun offenses.
On Tuesday, the judge in his state case threw out terrorism charges that carried the possibility of a mandatory life sentence without parole. But Judge Gregory Carro rejected the defense’s request to dismiss the state prosecution entirely, saying the double jeopardy argument is premature because neither case has gone to trial or resulted in a guilty plea.
The state case will proceed with other charges, including an intentional murder count that carries a potential punishment of 15 years to life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Unlike the federal system, New York does not have the death penalty.
Mangione has attracted a cult following as a stand-in for frustrations with the health insurance industry.
A few dozen supporters — mostly women — packed three rows in the rear of the courtroom gallery at his hearing Tuesday in state court. Some wore green, the color of the Mario Bros. video game character Luigi, and one woman sported a “FREE LUIGI” T-shirt.
The state terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, were dismissed Tuesday, as he appeared in court in New York City for a pre-trial hearing.
Mangione walked into Manhattan Criminal Court, shackled and wearing tan prison clothing, shortly before 9:30 a.m. for the hearing on several pre-trial motions. Members of the press and the public packed the courtroom, while crowds of his supporters carried signs and chanted outside.
Luigi Mangione is escorted by police as he arrives for a hearing as his lawyers push to have his state murder charges dismissed in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, at Manhattan Criminal Court on Sept. 16, 2025 in New York City.
Spencer Platt / Getty Images
When he entered, he appeared to look at the rows of public in the back very briefly, then stared straight forward. As he left, he raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement — once at the defense’s first row in the gallery, and then again as he walked past the press and public.
His supporters were later seen following his attorneys down the street as they left court.
Luigi Mangione’s terrorism charges thrown out
Luigi Mangione (R) appears with his lawyer Marc Agnifilo in court for a hearing on his state murder charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan Supreme Court on September 16, 2025 in New York City.
His lawyers have been fighting to get the state charges thrown out entirely, arguing the parallel cases amount to double jeopardy. In his written decision Tuesday, Judge Gregory Carro ruled against their request.
The judge ruled to dismiss both terrorism charges — murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism — writing they were “legally insufficient.”
“There was no evidence presented of a desire to terrorize the public, inspire widespread fear, engage in a broader campaign of violence, or to conspire with organized terrorist groups,” Carro wrote. “Here, the crime — the heinous, but targeted and discrete killing of one person — is very different from the examples of terrorism set forth in the statute.”
Mangione still faces 9 other state counts
Luigi Mangione appears in court for a hearing on his state murder charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan Supreme Court on Sept. 16, 2025 in New York City.
Curtis Means-Pool / Getty Images
Mangione will still face second-degree murder and eight weapons-related charges in the state case. If convicted of the top count, it carries a sentence of 25 years to life. He has pleaded not guilty.
“We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including Murder in the Second Degree,” the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said in a statement after the ruling.
The defense also wants to suppress evidence from Mangione’s backpack, including a gun and notebook, claiming it was obtained without a search warrant. Prosecutors deny the allegations and have asked the judge to force Mangione’s lawyers to say whether they will pursue an insanity defense or introduce psychiatric evidence.
The defense also wants statements Mangione made to law enforcement suppressed because his attorneys allege officers failed to provide Miranda warnings, and don’t want non-eyewitness identification testimony at trial, meaning someone who was not a witness to an alleged crime who makes an identification from a picture or video.
The judge did not rule on any of those issues Tuesday, but said hearings on each will begin on Dec. 1.
The state terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, were dismissed Tuesday, as he appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing in New York City.
Mangione walked into Manhattan Criminal Court, shackled and wearing tan prison clothing, shortly before 9:30 a.m. for the hearing on several pre-trial motions. Members of the press and the public packed the courtroom, while crowds of his supporters carried signs and chanted outside.
Luigi Mangione is escorted by police as he arrives for a hearing as his lawyers push to have his state murder charges dismissed in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, at Manhattan Criminal Court on September 16, 2025 in New York City.
Spencer Platt / Getty Images
When he entered, he appeared to look at the rows of public in the back very briefly, then stared straight forward. As he left, he raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement — once at the defense’s first row in the gallery, and then again as he walked past the press and public.
His supporters were later seen following his attorneys down the street as they left court.
His lawyers have been fighting to get the state charges thrown out entirely, arguing the parallel cases amount to double jeopardy. In his written decision Tuesday, Judge Gregory Carro ruled against that request.
The judge ruled to dismiss both terrorism charges — murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism — writing they were “legally insufficient.”
“There was no evidence presented of a desire to terrorize the public, inspire widespread fear, engage in a broader campaign of violence, or to conspire with organized terrorist groups,” Carro wrote. “Here, the crime – the heinous, but targeted and discrete killing of one person — is very different from the examples of terrorism set forth in the statute.”
Mangione still faces 9 other state counts
Mangione will still face second-degree murder and eight weapons-related charges in the state case. If convicted of the top count, it carries a sentence of 25 years to life. He has pleaded not guilty.
“We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including Murder in the Second Degree,” the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said in a statement after the ruling.
The defense also wants evidence from Mangione’s backpack, including a gun and notebook, to be suppressed, claiming the contents were obtained without a search warrant. Prosecutors deny the allegations and have asked the judge to force Mangione’s lawyers to say whether they will pursue an insanity defense or introduce psychiatric evidence.
The judge did not rule on either of those issues Tuesday, but said hearings in the case will begin on Dec. 1. The hearings will determine whether statements he made to police and the physical evidence they obtained will be allowed and whether non-witnesses can testify.
A judge dismissed two state terrorism charges against alleged Midtown assassin Luigi Mangione on Tuesday in the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December.
Photo by Dean Moses
A judge dismissed two state terrorism charges against alleged Midtown assassin Luigi Mangione on Tuesday in the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December.
Tuesday’s ruling came amid a media circus at the New York County Criminal Court, where dozens of rabid fans of the photogenic alleged killer camped out overnight waiting to catch a glimpse of him.
Mangione was marched into a courtroom on the 13th floor of 100 Centre St. at around 9:30 a.m. He was dressed in khaki prison garb with his ankles shackled and his hands cuffed in front of him. He did not respond to amNewYork when asked how he is faring behind bars before facing Judge Gregory Carro, who would subsequently throw out the state terrorism charges.
This is a developing story; check with amNY.com later for further updates.
OREM, Utah (ABC4) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is offering a reward for information that leads to the identification and arrest of the individual who shot and killed Charlie Kirk.
On September 10, 2025, Conservative political activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while hosting a debate on Utah Valley University campus. The shooter fled on foot and has remained at large.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released photo and video footage of the suspect and are asking the public for their help in identifying the suspect. As an incentive, anyone who provides information that identifies the suspect and leads to their arrest may be rewarded up to $100,000.
Previous FBI Rewards
Notably, this isn’t the first time that the FBI has offered a reward for information. Previously, they offered an award of up to $50,000 in addition to New York Police Department’s $10,000, in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Five days after the shooting, a McDonald’s employee spotted an individual, later identified as Luigi Mangione, who matched the suspect’s description and reported it to the FBI. Mangione was arrested for allegedly murdering Thompson and is set to appear in court later this year.
The tipster has reportedly not received the reward money, though that may be due to particular wording on the FBI’s part. The reward was offered for information leading to the “arrest and conviction”, and nobody has been convicted for the shooting yet.
Rewards are also available for those who help catch one of the FBI’s ten most wanted fugitives. For information leading directly to the arrest of one, tipsters can now make up to $250,000.
The FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitive list. Courtesy: Federal Bureau of Investigation
For information leading to the arrest of one fugitive, Ruja Ignatova, the FBI is offering an award of up to $5 million.
“The FBI recognizes the crucial role that public assistance has played in tracking fugitives throughout the years,” Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division said, regarding the reward for fugitives. “Raising the rewards for the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives will ideally garner additional public tips resulting in the capture of these dangerous criminals.”
UVU Tipline
The reward offers certainly don’t replace official investigative work, but they can help provide leads for investigators to follow up on. Since its launch yesterday afternoon, the Charlie Kirk shooting tipline has reportedly received thousands of tips.
Individuals can submit tips by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or by visiting their website here.
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After over 20 years in the FBI, Rob Chadwick says politically motivated shooters have specific goals.
“It’s an act of violence that is intended to change people’s beliefs or undermine society, and that’s what these people want us to do” said Chadwick, who retired from the FBI after over 20 years. Chadwick was previously a Supervisory Special Agent and former Director of tactical training in Quantico.
Minnesota has been especially impacted by recent attacks that involved political views, and draws comparisons to Charlie Kirk’s murder.
“In the case of UnitedHealthcare CEO assassination, that was prosecuted as a terrorist act” said Chadwick. “And that’s exactly what this was.”
Last December, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson of Minnesota was gunned down by a shooter investigators say was motivated by hatred for the healthcare industry. In June, Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, her husband and dog were killed in what federal prosecutors called a “political assassination.” That attack also injured fellow DFL Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.
Both led to a multi-day manhunt.
After WCCO asked Chadwick if anything changes with the investigation as the days go on, he said: “More resources… a little wider scope, of course. I in the older days, you’d have ‘how far can a man get on food, horse or car?’ Now, it’s international travel.”
Chadwick adds that local police across the country have likely been told who and what to lookout for in the search for Kirk’s killer.
“I doubt very seriously when they catch this person, they’re going to be that far from the scene. Because it’s very difficult to travel any distance without leaving some type of digital footprint,” Chadwick said.
If you have any information, the FBI asks you call them at 1-800-CALL-FBI or visit fbi.gov/utahvalleyshooting.
Frankie McLister, originally from Middletown, Maryland, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.
The latest filing by federal prosecutors seeks to rebut a defense request for additional details about the evidence the government plans to present to justify seeking the death penalty for Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year in Manhattan.
Newsweek contacted Mangione’s legal defense team via online form for comment on Saturday.
Why It Matters
The allegation from federal prosecutors raises concerns that Mangione’s actions and words could be motivating copycat attacks, with prosecutors citing recent violent incidents as part of a wider pattern of extremism.
Luigi Mangione attends a hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court on February 21 in New York City. Luigi Mangione attends a hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court on February 21 in New York City. Steven Hirsch – Pool/Getty Images
What To Know
According to Wednesday’s filing, prosecutors argue that Mangione “sought to normalize” violence through his communications and online activity, portraying his alleged crimes as acts to be imitated.
Citing Shane Devon Tamura—identified as the shooter who killed four people in last month’s attack at the Midtown Manhattan office building that houses the NFL headquarters—the filing says: “Shane Tamura brought in [an] assault rifle to a Manhattan office building, a short distance away from where Mangione had killed Thompson.
“Tamura shot and killed four people, including an off-duty police officer, an executive of a financial services firm, and a security guard, and he injured others, including an employee of the National Football League (“NFL“).
“Like Mangione, Tamura left behind a piece of evidence for investigators to find, blaming the NFL and football for causing chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Almost immediately, members of the public sympathetic to the defendant touted Tamura’s actions as a laudable continuation of the defendant’s philosophy.”
Tamura died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Five days after Thompson’s murder, Mangione was found carrying a three-page, handwritten note expressing “ill will toward corporate America” when he was detained in Pennsylvania, Joseph Kenny, NYPD‘s chief of detectives, said at the time.
Ammunition used in Thompson’s murder were inscribed with the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose.” Those terms are often associated with strategies employed by insurance companies to avoid paying claims, and bore close resemblance to the title of the 2010 book, Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.
Authorities allege Mangione continues to influence followers even while in custody. In the filing, prosecutors said Mangione remains a danger to the public because he is actively attempting to inspire others to replicate his actions.
“Simply put, the defendant hoped to normalize the use of violence to achieve ideological or political objectives,” the filing states. “Since the murder, certain quarters of the public—who openly identify as acolytes of the defendant—have increasingly begun to view violence as an acceptable, or even necessary substitute for reasoned political disagreement.
“The defendant poses a continuing danger not only in a personal capacity, but also because he has sought to influence others.”
What People Are Saying
The filing states: “The non-statutory aggravating factor of future dangerousness is fully warranted here because the evidence shows that the defendant represents an ongoing threat to the safety of others, whether in the community or within a custodial environment, and that his crime was motivated not by personal animus, but by a broader intent to send a message and inspire hostility toward an entire industry.
“The defendant’s writings make clear that the murder of Brian Thompson was conceived not simply as an act against one individual, but as a strike against the healthcare industry as a whole.”
The filing continued: “The context and execution of the murder strongly suggest that the defendant intended to influence or provoke broader reactions beyond the immediate killing. He wrote ‘Deny,’ ‘Depose,’ and ‘Delay,’ on the bullets he used to kill Thompson, knowing that the shell casings would likely be found by investigators and that this message—associated with criticism of the healthcare industry—would be widely disseminated in media coverage.”
What Happens Next?
As reported by Newsweek, the next court date in Mangione’s New York state case is scheduled for September 16. Mangione remains detained without bail as both federal and state prosecutions move forward.
Prosecutors are expected to push for continued detention, arguing that releasing him could pose a risk of further incitement.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to charges in Thompson’s killing. His legal team has not yet commented on the new claims raised in court.
NEW YORK (AP) — The typical compensation package for chief executives who run companies in the S&P 500 jumped nearly 10% in 2024 as the stock market enjoyed another banner year and corporate profits rose sharply.
Many companies have heeded calls from shareholders to tie CEO compensation more closely to performance. As a result, a large proportion of pay packages consist of stock awards, which the CEO often can’t cash in for years, if at all, unless the company meets certain targets, typically a higher stock price or market value or improved operating profits.
The Associated Press’ CEO compensation survey, which uses data analyzed for The AP by Equilar, included pay data for 344 executives at S&P 500 companies who have served at least two full consecutive fiscal years at their companies, which filed proxy statements between Jan. 1 and April 30.
Here are the key takeaways from the survey:
A good year at the top
The median pay package for CEOs rose to $17.1 million, up 9.7%. Meanwhile, the median employee at companies in the survey earned $85,419, reflecting a 1.7% increase year over year.
CEOs had to navigate sticky inflation and relatively high interest rates last year, as well as declining consumer confidence. But the economy also provided some tail winds: Consumers kept spending despite their misgivings about the economy; inflation did subside somewhat; the Fed lowered interest rates; and the job market stayed strong.
The stock market’s main benchmark, the S&P 500, rose more than 23% last year. Profits for companies in the index rose more than 9%.
“2024 was expected to be a strong year, so the (nearly) 10% increases are commensurate with the timing of the pay decisions,” said Dan Laddin, a partner at Compensation Advisory Partners.
Sarah Anderson, who directs the Global Economy Project at the progressive Institute for Policy Studies, said there have been some recent “long-overdue” increases in worker pay, especially for those at the bottom of the wage scale. But she said too many workers in the world’s richest countries still struggle to pay their bills.
The top earners
Rick Smith, the founder and CEO of Axon Enterprises, topped the survey with a pay package valued at $164.5 million. Axon, which makes Taser stun guns and body cameras, saw revenue grow more than 30% for three straight years and posted record annual net income of $377 million in 2024. Axon’s shares more than doubled last year after rising more than 50% in 2023.
General Electric Co. CEO Lawrence Culp Jr. signs a $52 billion deal by Emirates to purchase Boeing aircraft with GE engines, at the Dubai Air Show, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Lujain Jo)
General Electric Co. CEO Lawrence Culp Jr. signs a $52 billion deal by Emirates to purchase Boeing aircraft with GE engines, at the Dubai Air Show, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Lujain Jo)
Almost all of Smith’s pay package consists of stock awards, which he can only receive if the company meets targets tied to its stock price and operations for the period from 2024 to 2030. Companies are required to assign a value to the stock awards when they are granted.
Other top earners in the survey include Lawrence Culp, CEO of what is now GE Aerospace ($87.4 million), Tim Cook at Apple ($74.6 million), David Gitlin at Carrier Global ($65.6 million) and Ted Sarandos at Netflix ($61.9 million). The bulk of those pay packages consisted of stock or options awards.
The median stock award rose almost 15% last year compared to a 4% increase in base salaries, according to Equilar.
Tim Cook attends the WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards at the Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Tim Cook attends the WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards at the Museum of Modern Art on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
“For CEOs, target long-term incentives consistently increase more each year than salaries or bonuses,” said Melissa Burek, also a partner at Compensation Advisory Partners. “Given the significant role that long-term incentives play in executive pay, this trend makes sense.”
Jackie Cook at Morningstar Sustainalytics said the benefit of tying CEO pay to performance is “that share-based pay appears to provide a clear market signal that most shareholders care about.” But she notes that the greater use of share-based pay has led to a “phenomenal rise” in CEO compensation “tracking recent years’ market performance,” which has “widened the pay gap within workplaces.”
Some well-known billionaire CEOs are low in the AP survey. Warren Buffett’s compensation was valued at $405,000, about five times what a worker at Berkshire Hathaway makes. According to Tesla’s proxy, Elon Musk received no compensation for 2024, but in 2018 he was awarded a multiyear package that has been valued at $56 billion and is the subject of a court battle.
Other notable CEOs didn’t meet the criteria for inclusion the survey. Starbucks’ Brian Niccol received a pay package valued at $95.8 million, but he only took over as CEO on Sept. 9. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang saw his compensation grow to $49.9 million, but the company filed its proxy after April 30.
The pay gap
At half the companies in AP’s annual pay survey, it would take the worker at the middle of the company’s pay scale 192 years to make what the CEO did in one. Companies have been required to disclose this so-called pay ratio since 2018.
The pay ratio tends to be highest at companies in industries where wages are typically low. For instance, at cruise line company Carnival Corp., its CEO earned nearly 1,300 times the median pay of $16,900 for its workers. McDonald’s CEO makes about 1,000 times what a worker making the company’s median pay does. Both companies have operations that span numerous countries.
Overall, wages and benefits netted by private-sector workers in the U.S. rose 3.6% through 2024, according to the Labor Department. The average worker in the U.S. makes $65,460 a year. That figure rises to $92,000 when benefits such as health care and other insurance are included.
“With CEO pay continuing to climb, we still have an enormous problem with excessive pay gaps,” Anderson said. “These huge disparities are not only unfair to lower-level workers who are making significant contributions to company value – they also undercut enterprise effectiveness by lowering employee morale and boosting turnover rates.”
Some gains for female CEOs
This photo provided by Otis Elevator Co. shows CEO Judy Marks. (via AP)
This photo provided by Otis Elevator Co. shows CEO Judy Marks. (via AP)
For the 27 women who made the AP survey — the highest number dating back to 2014 — median pay rose 10.7% to $20 million. That compares to a 9.7% increase to $16.8 million for their male counterparts.
The highest earner among female CEOs was Judith Marks of Otis Worldwide, with a pay package valued at $42.1 million. The company, known for its elevators and escalators, has had operating profit above $2 billion for four straight years. About $35 million of Marks’ compensations was in the form of stock awards.
Other top earners among female CEOs were Jane Fraser of Citigroup ($31.1 million), Lisa Su of Advanced Micro Devices ($31 million), Mary Barra at General Motors ($29.5 million) and Laura Alber at Williams-Sonoma ($27.7 million).
FILEw – Jane Fraser, CEO, Citigroup, speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee oversight hearing to examine Wall Street firms on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
FILEw – Jane Fraser, CEO, Citigroup, speaks during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee oversight hearing to examine Wall Street firms on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
Lisa Su, CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, arrives for a dinner at the Elysee Palace, during an event on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)
Lisa Su, CEO of Advanced Micro Devices, arrives for a dinner at the Elysee Palace, during an event on the sidelines of the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)
Christy Glass, a professor of sociology at Utah State University who studies equity, inclusion and leadership, said while there may be a few more women on the top paid CEO list, overall equity trends are stagnating, particularly as companies cut back on DEI programs.
“There are maybe a couple more names on the list, but we’re really not moving the needle significantly,” she said.
FILE- Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors, talks to David Rubenstein during an interview hosted by the Economic Club of Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
FILE- Mary Barra, chair and CEO of General Motors, talks to David Rubenstein during an interview hosted by the Economic Club of Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)
Prioritizing security
Equilar found that a larger number of companies are offering security perquisites as part of executive compensation packages, possibly in reaction to the December shooting of UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson.
Equilar said an analysis of 208 companies in the S&P 500 that filed proxy statements by April 2 showed that the median spending on security rose to $94,276 last year from $69,180 in 2023.
Among the companies that increased their security perks were Centene, which provides health care services to Medicare and Medicaid, and the chipmaker Intel.
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Reporters Matt Ott and Chris Rugaber in Washington contributed.
