NEW YORK — In a significant legal decision on Friday, a judge ruled that federal prosecutors are barred from pursuing the death penalty against Luigi Mangione for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. This decision disrupts the Trump administration’s attempt to have Mangione executed for what they described as a “premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked the nation.”

U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett found fault with the federal murder charge against Mangione, leading to its dismissal. However, she upheld stalking charges that could result in a life sentence if Mangione is found guilty.

Mangione stands firm on his not guilty plea concerning the federal and state murder accusations. The possibility of a life sentence remains on the table due to the state charges.

The federal case is set to begin jury selection on September 8, while the date for the state trial is still to be determined. Recently, the Manhattan district attorney’s office requested a July 1 trial date in a letter to the judge overseeing the state case.

Brian Thompson, 50, tragically lost his life on December 4, 2024. He was on his way to a midtown Manhattan hotel for UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor event when he was shot from behind by a masked assailant. Authorities revealed that the bullets bore the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose,” echoing a notorious phrase associated with insurance companies’ tactics to avoid settling claims.

Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of Manhattan.

Following through on Trump’s campaign promise to vigorously pursue capital punishment, Attorney General Pam Bondi ordered Manhattan federal prosecutors last April to seek the death penalty against Mangione.

It was the first time the Justice Department was seeking to bring the death penalty in President Donald Trump’s second term. He returned to office a year ago with a vow to resume federal executions after they were halted under his predecessor, President Joe Biden.

Garnett, a Biden appointee, ruled after a flurry of court filings in the prosecution and defense in recent months. She held oral arguments on the matter earlier this month.

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