Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is now facing the possibility of the death penalty after a direct order from Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Federal prosecutors have been instructed to pursue capital punishment, a move that has sparked heated debate and legal pushback.

According to Mirror, Bondi announced the decision on Tuesday, emphasizing the severity of the crime. "Luigi Mangione's murder of Brian Thompson – an innocent man and father of two young children – was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America," she said.

"After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again."

The case has drawn national attention due to its shocking nature. Thompson was gunned down in broad daylight on a busy Manhattan street on December 4, 2024. The murder, caught on video and widely circulated online, triggered a five-day manhunt that ended in Pennsylvania, where Mangione was apprehended.

Mangione now faces multiple charges across different jurisdictions. In New York, he has been indicted on 11 state charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder as an act of terrorism, and multiple weapons offenses.

At the federal level, he faces four serious charges, including murder with a firearm, a crime that carries the possibility of execution if convicted.

Attorney Blasts Death Penalty Push, Calls Mangione a Political Pawn

The decision to pursue the death penalty has faced strong opposition from Luigi Mangione's legal team. His attorney, Karen Agnifilo, criticized the move as politically motivated, arguing that it contradicts both legal standards and historical precedent, TMZ said.

She also condemned the Justice Department's actions as extreme, stating that opting for execution reflects a shift toward barbarism.

Agnifilo also criticized what she called a "corrupt web of government dysfunction," claiming Mangione is being used as a pawn in a battle between state and federal prosecutors. "Luigi is caught in a high-stakes game of tug-of-war, except the trophy is a young man's life," she added.

Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Mangione has garnered a vocal group of supporters. Crowds have gathered outside New York courthouses during his hearings, with some expressing sympathy for his medical condition.

Mangione suffers from spondylolisthesis, a spinal condition caused by a childhood surfing accident, which some speculate may have played a role in his actions.

The case has also sent shockwaves through the corporate healthcare sector, where concerns over security have escalated in the wake of Thompson's murder.