Luigi Mangione's lawyers move to dismiss state murder case after federal guilty plea
After Friday's plea, a spokesperson for the People v. Mangione said state prosecutors remain committed to pursuing a conviction.
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Speaking outside court on Friday, Luigi Mangione's attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo said that her team has filed a motion to dismiss his state murder case under New York's double jeopardy law.
"New York law does not permit a person to be prosecuted and punished twice for the exact same crime under a statute that governs successive prosecutions," she said. "Today's guilty plea triggers this statute, and we just filed our motion in state court explaining why the state charges must be dismissed under New York's double jeopardy protections."
Mangione pleaded guilty on Friday to federal stalking charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He admitted to following Thompson to an investor conference in 2024 and shooting him on a New York City street.
Friedman Agnifilo also lambasted prosecutors for bringing two cases against Mangione, calling the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson an "isolated event" that led to Mangione being "unfairly treated since the outset in every way."
As Mangione said during his guilty plea, Agnifilo highlighted Mangione's debilitating back pain and issues dealing with the healthcare system, which she said "failed him and destroyed his life."
"As Luigi explained in court today, he endured years of severe, debilitating pain following a broken back while struggling to navigate our health care and health insurance systems. Like the thousands of people who have reached out since this tragedy to share their own experiences, he believed that the system had failed him and destroyed his life," she said.
Mangione had complained about the prospect of two trials, telling a judge in February: "It's the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any commonsense definition."
Under New York law, a state prosecution could potentially be barred if the federal case is resolved first.
The state's double jeopardy protections kick in if a jury has been sworn in a prior prosecution, such as a federal case, or if that prosecution ends in a guilty plea. Mangione's cases involve different charges arising from the same course of conduct.
After Friday's plea, a spokesperson for the People v. Mangione issued a statement that the state prosecutors remain committed to pursuing a conviction.
"Since December 2024, the Manhattan D.A.'s Office has been tirelessly preparing to pursue a trial conviction in New York State Supreme Court for the alleged cold-blooded murder of Brian Thompson. We are encouraged that Mr. Thompson's family received a measure of accountability today," the statement reads. "While federal sentencing is pending, we are prepared to litigate the defense motions. The Manhattan D.A.'s Office remains committed to seeking justice for Mr. Thompson and his family."
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Information from ABC News and the Associated Press
