Attorney General Bondi Urged to Recuse in Mangione Murder Case

URGENT UPDATE: Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing mounting pressure to recuse herself from the federal murder trial of Luigi Mangione, accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2023. Mangione’s defense team claims Bondi’s ties to a lobbying firm representing UnitedHealthcare create a “profound” conflict of interest that threatens his right to a fair trial.

In a filing submitted late Friday, Mangione’s attorneys, Karen and Marc Agnifilo, argued that Bondi, who previously was a partner at Ballard Partners, continues to profit from her association with the firm. They emphasized that “any criminal defendant, let alone one who the government is trying to kill, is due a criminal process that is untainted by the financial interests of his prosecutors.”

Mangione, 27, was arrested five days after the incident at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges. His defense team is requesting that prosecutors be barred from seeking the death penalty, dismissing two counts against him, and throwing out evidence and statements made during his arrest.

A hearing to address these critical issues is set for January 9, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett. Earlier in April, Judge Garnett instructed Bondi not to make public comments about the case to uphold the integrity of the judicial process. This directive followed Bondi’s prior statement indicating her intent to pursue the death penalty as part of “President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime.”

In response to the defense’s claims, federal prosecutors defended their decision to seek the death penalty, asserting that “publicity, even intense, is not novel in this district.” They noted that “high-visibility cases” are routinely tried in the Southern District of New York.

This latest development follows a lengthy suppression hearing in New York State criminal court, where Mangione’s attorneys argued to suppress statements made during his arrest and evidence from a search of his backpack, which yielded a gun and a silencer. A ruling on that case is not anticipated until May 18, 2024.

Officials are yet to respond to the latest filing. NBC News has reached out to both the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York and Attorney General Bondi for comment. Notably, Jay Clayton, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, was recused from the case in April without provided reasons.

As this case unfolds, the implications for both Mangione and the legal proceedings surrounding him are significant. The calls for Bondi’s recusal highlight the ongoing tensions between ethics in prosecution and the pursuit of justice. Stay tuned for more updates as this urgent matter develops.