A judge has ruled that the jury selection process in the federal murder trial of Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will commence on September 8th. The remainder of the trial schedule, including opening statements and witness testimony, will depend on whether prosecutors are permitted to seek the death penalty, a decision that is still under consideration.
If capital punishment remains an option, the next phase of the trial would start on January 11, 2027, more than four months after the jury selection begins. If not, opening statements are scheduled for October 13th. Capital cases require significantly more preparation time due to their complexity.
Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to federal and state murder charges that carry a potential life sentence. A date for the state trial has not yet been set.
The judge has set these dates as Mangione returned to court for a hearing on procedures governing the police seizure of his backpack after his arrest on December 9, 2024, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles west of Manhattan, where Thompson was killed five days earlier.
Mangione’s lawyers want the judge to bar prosecutors from using certain items found in the backpack, including a gun that police say matched the one used to kill Thompson and a notebook in which Mangione purportedly described his intent to “wack” a health insurance executive. Separately, the judge is considering a defence request to bar prosecutors from seeking the death penalty.
The hearing on Friday was limited to the backpack issue, with just one witness, Altoona Police Department Deputy Chief Nathan Snyder, testifying for about 90 minutes. The judge called the hearing to understand the established or standardised procedures used by the police at the time of Mangione’s arrest for securing, safeguarding, and inventorying the personal property of an arrested person.
Prosecutors said Snyder, who was promoted to the post three weeks ago, was not involved in Mangione’s arrest and had no involvement in the Altoona police investigation of Mangione. The judge found the hearing “very helpful” but issued no immediate ruling.
Mangione’s lawyers argue that the search of his backpack was illegal because police had not yet obtained a warrant. The judge in the state case has said she will rule on evidence issues in May.
Thompson was killed on December 4, 2024, as he walked to a Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting him from behind. Mangione was arrested while eating breakfast at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona.