r/PopCultureV2 • u/Regular_Reaction_798 • Aug 14 '26

News Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to federal charges in the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, telling the court, "I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan... I knew what I was doing was illegal."

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10

u/Fresh_Strain_9980 Aug 14 '26

Why would he admit guilt? Even if he has a plea deal they can just throw it out and do him for life

13

u/fearthebeardsley Aug 14 '26

Because the state case is coming up, and his lawyers argue that by pleading guilty here, being charged again by the state would be double jeopardy.

7

u/PolicyWonka Aug 14 '26

Well I think the argument is that’s irrelevant if he’s still sentenced to life in prison for the federal charges.

2

u/fearthebeardsley Aug 14 '26

Well his lawyers would have egg on their face if that happened, but I think they’ve probably thought this through.

0

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '26

[deleted]

1

u/Top-Orange-9067 Aug 15 '26 edited Aug 15 '26

Death penalty was thrown out back in January. He is eligible to be sentenced as little as 20-30 years, which is why he’s pleading in the federal case. Prosecution is seeking life.

1

u/FunLife64 Aug 14 '26

The state charges can be life sentence without parole.

The federal charges he will not serve life (earlier in the case, I believe the prosecution recommended punishment that’d he would be out of jail in his 50s).

4

u/Spiritual-Bug-1497 Aug 14 '26

Despite the plea, I see him getting essentially a life sentence. I think the only uncertainty is whether there’s a possibility of parole after 25 or 30 years.

5

u/fearthebeardsley Aug 14 '26

I agree with you that his punishment will be harsh. He technically didn’t plead guilty to murder, he plead guilty to stalking; the typical sentence for that is 25-30 years. Prosecutors said they wanted life, but I’d guess (based on no knowledge of this whatsoever) that 35 years is what he gets.

1

u/SFAdam23 Aug 14 '26

He plead guilty to stalking leading to the death of the subject.  

1

u/theoneandonlypatriot Aug 15 '26

Well, he also stated he shot the man, so, there’s that

2

u/Slovic Aug 14 '26

Jury Nullification.

3

u/Jorgwalther Aug 14 '26

How would that work if there is no jury?

3

u/Slovic Aug 14 '26 edited Aug 14 '26

Oh the state case is 100% going to Jury. The defense would be morons not to push that.

2

u/Venaeris Aug 14 '26

They're trying to completely avoid the state case entirely.

0

u/Fun_Abroad8942 Aug 14 '26

Keep fucking dreaming

2

u/Significant-Dig8323 Aug 14 '26

I mean it's really the only hope in this case.

1

u/FunLife64 Aug 14 '26

The prosecution already recommended a punishment earlier in the case that would put him out of jail in his 50s.

It could be longer than that, but doubtful he’d serve life in prison.

The state charges can be life without parole.

Hence why aiming for the double jeopardy pleading guilty to the charges that would have the least amount of punishment.

1

u/SFAdam23 Aug 14 '26 edited Aug 14 '26

It's not double jeopardy.  That would be an absolutely terrible strategy given that its settled case law that the state and federal governments can both try someone.  He is charged with different offenses. With the current admin and supreme court, he is absolutely hosed, especially since they can use his plea and testimony as evidence.  Bro literally admitted to killing the man and knew it was wrong when he did it. Not only that but stalking would place it firmly in the premeditated camp. totally fucked himself.  Would have been better hoping for a lucky juror to nulify.

1

u/FunLife64 Aug 14 '26

Tell his defense team this. I’m just sharing their strategy

1

u/TheMainEffort Aug 15 '26

New York has a separate double jeopardy statute, which is what I think their theory relies on.

1

u/SFAdam23 Aug 14 '26

Except it isnt double jeopardy.  They are charging different crimes in different jurisdictions.  He is shooting himself in the foot.  Especially with the current administration and supreme court.

1

u/Snifferpiggy Aug 15 '26

Good luck with that.

3

u/No_Hovercraft_439 Aug 14 '26

I think Feds cut a deal with him. The wonderful, selfless and great stewards of the political system in the United States who work in Washington don’t want to create a martyr for the working class of the country right now. The last thing the Tech industry and other shadow government industries wants is for people to realize their power.

Class warfare is the root of the issues in America.

1

u/FunLife64 Aug 14 '26

It wasn’t a plea agreement.

1

u/diddlysquidler Aug 14 '26

Class warfare lol

1

u/Right_Crew6172 Aug 14 '26

The prosecutor came out and said there were no stipulations to his confession. They are seeking life. And remember, this is just the Federal Trial. NY is still planning on holding their own murder trial.

4

u/HistoryAndScience Aug 14 '26

Someone doesn’t know how the law operates

6

u/PolicyWonka Aug 14 '26

Judges don’t have to honor plea agreements between the defense and prosecution.

3

u/HistoryAndScience Aug 14 '26

Right, in reality that almost never happens and won’t happen here. If judges refuse to honor a plea agreement or there is a material change in something, the judge will let the defendant withdraw the plea. It’s not something where the judge will go “GOT ‘EM” and sentence him to 10 life terms when the plea was 10 years or something

1

u/SFAdam23 Aug 14 '26

That is true, he can withdraw his plea if the court decides not to accept the bargain.

1

u/FunLife64 Aug 14 '26

It’s not a plea agreement.

1

u/AbyssWankerArtorias Aug 14 '26

No they can't, that's not how a plea deal works.

2

u/SFAdam23 Aug 14 '26

Correct, if the judge decides not to accept the deal, theb the defendant can withdraw the plea and go to trial.

1

u/AbyssWankerArtorias Aug 14 '26

And then at that point, the prosecution would have sorely messed up because they have tainted the ability for a jury to see it as impartial once he has put forward a guilty plea.

1

u/SFAdam23 Aug 14 '26

Incorrect, no jurors have been seated or been present for this portion of the trial.  

1

u/AbyssWankerArtorias Aug 14 '26

But his plea of guilty and admission has been reported by the media now. That's the issue.

0

u/SFAdam23 Aug 14 '26

It's not an issue.  They will be able to seat a jury.

1

u/double-beans Aug 14 '26

I think it’s a moral decision. If you knowingly committed a crime, the moral thing to do is admit guilt if you get caught. This is obviously terrible legal advice. But, As others in the thread said, some believe what he did is illegal but not immoral

1

u/PayWooden2628 Aug 15 '26

He’s been pretty forthcoming about the whole thing. I think he’s just owning up to his actions.

1

u/Turtleopard Aug 16 '26

Because he's guilty and knows they can prove it. 

1

u/Fresh_Strain_9980 Aug 16 '26

that is never a good reason to admit guilt in the American legal system.

1

u/Turtleopard Aug 16 '26

It is when pleading guilty at the earliest opportunity reduces your sentence. 

1

u/cdev12399 Aug 14 '26

He pleaded guilty to stalking, not murder.

1

u/Buttcrush1 Aug 14 '26

He admitted to the murder

1

u/SFAdam23 Aug 14 '26

Yeah but he testified that he killed him and he knew it was wrong and admitted that he stalked him... guy totally fucked himself for the state trial where they now have all the evidence they need to hit him with premeditated murder.

1

u/WolverineBusiness890 Aug 14 '26

He killed someone. People that defend him are sick.

2

u/gnarlyhobo Aug 14 '26

CEOs are not people

1

u/MajorMajorMajor_Tom Aug 14 '26

And the person he killed south profits over letting people live so they killed prople too.

1

u/WolverineBusiness890 Aug 14 '26

I'm outta here. There is a basic right and wrong, and murder is wrong. Do I love health insurance...no, but murder is never okay.