Federal prosecutors and attorneys for Luigi Mangione, the 28-year-old accused in the killing, jointly asked a U.S. judge on Tuesday to schedule a Friday morning conference, fueling speculation that a plea agreement could be under discussion in his federal case just weeks before his state murder trial is due to begin.
Neither the Justice Department nor Mangione’s defense team immediately responded to News Outlet’s requests for comment after ABC, citing an anonymous report, said the hearing was intended to allow both sides to discuss a possible deal.
The brief two-sentence letter submitted to the judge did not state why the conference was being requested.
Luigi Mangione appears for a pre-trial hearing at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on Aug. 11, 2026. (REUTERS)
“The parties write jointly to request a conference with the Court,” the letter states. “Based on communications with Chambers, we understand that the Court is available to hold the conference on Friday, August 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.”
Mangione is charged with stalking UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, before allegedly shooting him in the back outside a Hilton hotel in New York City in December 2024.
Jury selection in the state murder case is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, while the federal trial is currently expected to start in early 2027.
The latest filing comes after Manhattan prosecutors addressed earlier reports of a possible plea agreement in a July letter to New York Judge Gregory Carro.
“The People are aware of public reporting regarding the possibility of a guilty plea in defendant’s federal case,” wrote assistant DA Joel Seidemann. “If a proposed federal guilty plea would operate to defeat a just outcome in the state prosecution, the People could advise the federal district court of that consequence, and the court should consider that fact in deciding whether to accept the plea, as well as any opposition by the victim’s family to such a resolution.”
This 2017 file photo of Brian Thompson was released via Businesswire when he was named Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare Unit in 2017. (Businesswire)
Carro issued an order Tuesday protecting the identities and addresses of jurors in the upcoming case, finding that witnesses have been threatened, doxxed and harassed already, and that “individuals identifying themselves as supporters of the defendant engaged in inflammatory and hostile public statements outside the courthouse and announced their intention to attend jury selection to attempt to speak to prospective jurors.”
Prosecutors had requested the move.
The person of interest wanted for questioning in connection with Wednesday’s assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson peeks through a taxi cab window dividing the driver’s seat from the passenger area. (NYPD)
The defense has separately asked for the trial to be livestreamed — which experts have said is unlikely under current New York law.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
He faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison on the state charges if convicted, and up to life without parole federally.
