To follow up on this morning’s post, Luigi Mangione did plead guilty today in Manhattan federal court. The Trump Justice Department in the Southern District of New York charged him with stalking (part of the “interstate domestic violence” statute, Section 2261 of the federal penal code). It carries a potential life-imprisonment sentence because it resulted in death of the victim, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
As we anticipated, Mangione’s lawyers contended that the federal guilty plea provides him with double jeopardy protection under New York law, and thus that his state murder trial – being prosecuted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg – must be canceled and the state charge dismissed.