Federal vs state: Luigi Mangione’s death penalty push sets up legal tug-of-war

Luigi Mangione’s case is no ordinary murder trial. Two powerful legal offices are involved in prosecuting him—one from the federal government and the other from New York State. The federal office, under President Trump’s Department of Justice, wants to seek the death penalty. The Manhattan district attorney’s office, headed by Alvin L. Bragg, has already filed murder charges, the New York Times reported.

The interesting twist? These two offices aren’t exactly known for working hand in hand. As a matter of fact, District Attorney Bragg is the same prosecutor who successfully indicted and convicted President Trump in another case. Now that both sides are engaged in the Mangione trial, tensions are expected to rise.

When Mangione was arrested in December, prior to President Trump’s inauguration, the federal authorities indicated the case would be led by the state. But things turned around. Newly appointed US Attorney General Pam Bondi recently made public that federal prosecutors will push for the death penalty, despite the fact that the case has not yet been officially indicted in federal court.

“The president’s directive was very clear: We are to seek the death penalty when possible,” Bondi said on Fox News Sunday.

Mangione is accused of killing Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, near a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. He was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania.

POLITICS AROUND DEATH PENALTY DEBATE

What makes this case even more complicated is the political backdrop. Since Bragg’s historic prosecution of Trump in 2023, the president has promised to fight back against those who went after him. Now, Bondi’s Department of Justice is not only going after Mangione but also reviewing whether the Justice Department was unfairly used against Trump in Bragg’s case.

According to a report from the New York Times, Bondi issued 14 memos to her employees within her first days in office. One of them called for “zealous” advocacy of Trump’s agenda—restoring capital punishment. While attorney general of Florida, Bondi advocated for quicker executions. Florida retains the second-largest death row population in the US, just behind California, the Legal Defence Fund reports.

But federal death penalty cases are much longer. New York has not had a federal execution since the 1950s.

Despite severe accusations of first-degree murder, terrorism, and charges of firearm-related murder from federal authorities, Mangione has found surprising public support. His supporters have raised more than $830,000 to cover his defence expenses and sold clothing with his image.

Bragg’s office has been working on the case since Mangione’s arrest. State and federal prosecutors typically share information, like witness statements and documents, when cases overlap. But Bondi’s aggressive push might upset that balance.

As of now, Mangione is being held at the federal Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn. He faces charges in both state and federal courts, as well as in Pennsylvania.