Luigi Mangione's attorneys are talking with federal prosecutors about a possible plea deal, CBS News reported, just weeks before his trial is scheduled to start on September 8.

Mangione was arrested in December 2024, five days after Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare insurance company, was killed outside a hotel in Manhattan. Police found Mangione carrying a gun, ammunition, fake ID, cash, and a handwritten note with complaints about the health insurance industry. He says he is not guilty of murder, weapons charges, and other crimes. He is being prosecuted separately by the state of New York and by federal prosecutors.

The case has already changed course several times. Last September, a judge removed terrorism charges, leaving the main charge as second-degree murder. Now, his lawyers say they plan to argue that mental health issues affected his actions during the trial.

Two Different Prosecutions, Two Different Punishments

Mangione is being prosecuted on two separate tracks, and the stakes differ greatly between them. The state of New York is prosecuting him for second-degree murder. Federal prosecutors have additional charges, including charges that could result in the death penalty. New York eliminated capital punishment in 2004, so state prosecutors cannot seek death — only federal prosecutors can.

This difference is crucial. If Mangione's defense negotiates with federal prosecutors to avoid the death penalty, that gives them a strong reason to make a deal. The federal prosecutors have more leverage because they can offer life in prison without parole as an alternative to death. What happens in one case does not automatically affect the other — the state prosecutors run their case independently.

This splits his legal risk in half. One case could end in a negotiated agreement, while the other still goes to trial.

The Mental Health Defense

Mangione's attorneys plan to argue that he had a mental health condition that affected his judgment. This is not the same as claiming he did not understand what he was doing. It is a narrower argument: that his mental condition prevented him from having the specific intent to commit murder, which might reduce the charge to something less serious.

Prosecutors found a handwritten note on Mangione that criticized the insurance industry. They will likely use this to show that he planned the killing and acted deliberately. Mangione's lawyers will argue that his focus on insurance industry problems was caused by mental illness, not just a reason for committing the crime. The two sides' mental health experts will probably disagree sharply on this point during trial.

What the Evidence Shows

Courts have already ruled on some of the physical evidence. In May 2026, a judge decided that prosecutors can use items found in Mangione's backpack. The handwritten note, the gun, and the fake ID are all expected to be shown to a jury if the case goes to trial. Surveillance video from near the hotel has been reported as evidence, though it is not yet clear exactly how it will be used at trial.

The removal of terrorism charges last year did not change the basic story prosecutors are telling: that Mangione followed and murdered Thompson on purpose.

As of Reuters reporting in May 2026, the trial is still set for September 8. If the plea talks succeed, the case ends before trial. If they fail, a jury will decide whether Mangione is guilty.