What happened
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Tuesday she was instructing federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, the man charged with fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December.
Who said what
Bondi's "widely anticipated" decision is part of her and President Donald Trump's "push to revive the widespread use of capital punishment" after lifting former President Joe Biden's federal moratorium, said The New York Times. First, "federal prosecutors would have to convince a group of jurors to vote unanimously for him to be put to death," a task that "may be difficult." After his arrest, Mangione "became the subject of praise and fascination for some people," especially critics of the health insurance industry, The Washington Post said.
What next?
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to New York State charges that carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. He has not entered a plea in the federal case, since "federal prosecutors have yet to seek a grand jury indictment," The Associated Press said. The cases were expected to "proceed on parallel tracks," with the state charges going to trial first, though it "wasn't immediately clear if Bondi's announcement will change the order."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The party bringing Trump-style populism to JapanUnder The Radar Far-right party is ‘Rise of Sanseito is ‘shattering’ the belief that Japan is ‘immune’ to populism’ the belief that Japan is ‘immune’ to populism
-
Southern barbecue: This year’s top threeFeature A weekend-only restaurant, a 90-year-old pitmaster, and more
-
Film reviews: Anemone and The Smashing MachineFeature A recluse receives an unwelcome guest and a pioneering UFC fighter battles addiction
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-offSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Court allows Trump’s Texas troops to head to ChicagoSpeed Read Trump is ‘using our service members as pawns in his illegal effort to militarize our nation’s cities,’ said Gov. J.B. Pritzker
-
Judge bars Trump’s National Guard moves in OregonSpeed Read In an emergency hearing, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump from sending National Guard troops into Portland
-
Museum head ousted after Trump sword gift denialSpeed Read Todd Arrington, who led the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, denied the Trump administration a sword from the collection as a gift for King Charles
-
Trump declares ‘armed conflict’ with drug cartelsspeed read This provides a legal justification for recent lethal military strikes on three alleged drug trafficking boats
-
Supreme Court rules for Fed’s Cook in Trump feudSpeed Read Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook can remain in her role following Trump’s attempts to oust her
-
‘This isn’t just semantics’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Judge rules Trump illegally targeted Gaza protestersSpeed Read The Trump administration’s push to arrest and deport international students for supporting Palestine is deemed illegal
