Luigi Mangione
AFP News

The assassination of a prominent CEO as he arrived at a Manhattan hotel sent shockwaves across America. Now, the man accused of the crime, Luigi Mangione, is at the centre of a high-stakes legal battle as his lawyers fight to dismantle the federal case against him and spare him from a potential death sentence.

In papers filed in a Manhattan federal court on Saturday, lawyers for the 27-year-old asked a judge to dismiss several criminal charges stemming from the December killing of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive, Brian Thompson. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges.

Challenging the Charges

The defence's primary target is the only federal count for which Mangione could face the death penalty, a punishment not used in New York state.

While murder cases are typically tried in state courts, federal prosecutors have charged Mangione under a law concerning murders committed with a firearm during other 'crimes of violence'. His lawyers argue this charge should be dismissed because prosecutors have failed to specify the required underlying offences. They contend that the alleged secondary crime, stalking, does not legally constitute a crime of violence.

The defence team is also seeking to have key evidence suppressed. They claim Mangione was not read his rights before being questioned by law enforcement officers. Furthermore, they assert that the search of his backpack, where a gun and ammunition were reportedly found, was conducted unlawfully without a warrant, according to court filings reported by the New York Post.

The Manhunt and Political Fallout

The shooting on 4 December, which occurred as Thompson arrived at a hotel for his company's annual investor conference, triggered a massive multi-state search.

The suspected shooter skillfully slipped away from the scene, riding a bike to Central Park before taking a taxi to a bus depot with services to several states. Five days later, a tip from a McDonald's employee in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 233 miles away, led police to arrest Mangione. He has been held without bail ever since.

The case's profile was elevated in April when US Attorney General Pam Bondi directed New York prosecutors to seek the death penalty, calling the killing a 'premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America'. Mangione's lawyers had previously requested that the federal charges be dismissed due to these public comments.

A Case That Gripped a Nation

Beyond the courtroom, the assassination has captured the American imagination, unleashing a torrent of online vitriol and resentment directed toward the US health insurance industry.

It has simultaneously rattled corporate executives, sparking widespread concern over personal security.

The sentiment was crystallised by a chilling discovery at the crime scene, where investigators found the words 'delay', 'deny' and 'depose' written in permanent marker on ammunition. The phrase is a well-known mimic of one used by critics to describe the tactics of some insurance providers.

For continuing coverage of this case and other breaking news from around the world, stay tuned to IB Times UK.

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