NEW YORK — Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty on Monday to state murder and terror charges in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The 26-year-old Mangione entered the Manhattan courtroom in shackles and under heavy guard. He faced a total of 11 charges, including first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism. Judge Gregory Carro presided over the arraignment. Last week, a Manhattan grand jury upgraded the charges against Mangione to include first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism. In addition to this charge, he is also facing two counts of second-degree murder, one of which is classified as a killing committed as an act of terrorism. Moreover, Mangione is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, four counts in the third degree, one count in the fourth degree, and one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree. If convicted on the state charges, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. There is also a federal case against Mangione. One charge, murder through use of a firearm, could make him eligible for the death penalty if he is convicted. Additionally, he faces charges in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested, including forgery and possession of an unlicensed firearm. Mangione was transported to New York on December 19 after waiving his right to an extradition hearing that morning in court in Blair County, Pennsylvania. Upon his arrival in New York, he was arrested by federal authorities. Defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo stated that Mangione would not initially contest pretrial detention, and he was taken into police custody. Later that same day, he made his initial appearance in Manhattan federal court, just hours after the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging him with stalking and murdering Brian Thompson. He did not enter a plea. Agnifilo mentioned that her client was prepared to appear in state court and expressed that the federal charges were unexpected.
