A U.S. judge has dismissed federal murder and weapons charges against Luigi Mangione, ruling that the counts were legally incompatible with the stalking offences he still faces.
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett in Manhattan said she was constrained by Supreme Court precedents that set narrow conditions for applying federal violent crime laws.
Judge found that the murder and weapons charges against Luigi Mangione could proceed only if connected to a qualifying crime of violence.
The stalking charges remaining in the indictment did not meet this standard because the law recognises stalking as conduct that is not inherently violent and not always intentional.
Garnett noted that the conclusion may appear bewildering, describing the legal framework as tortured and strange.
Margaret Garnett added that the law, not public intuition, must guide the court, even when the alleged conduct involves crossing state lines and carrying a handgun fitted with a silencer.
Mangione, 27, still faces murder charges in a separate case brought by New York state prosecutors and could face life imprisonment if convicted on the federal stalking counts. No trial date has been set in the state case.
Federal prosecutor Dominic Gentile said the government has not decided whether to appeal the dismissal. Defence lawyer Karen Agnifilo called the ruling incredible and said the team was relieved after the hearing.
Thompson, who led the health insurance business of UnitedHealth Group, was killed outside the Hilton Midtown hotel on 4 December 2024. Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania five days later and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Legal experts said the ruling reflects a broader effort by the Supreme Court to stop prosecutors from stretching vague statutes to bring violent crime charges.
Scott Sundby, a professor at the University of Miami, said the question is not whether the alleged conduct appears violent but whether the statute itself is defined with enough precision to qualify as a crime of violence.
He said the court is wary of giving prosecutors too much power through flexible interpretations.
In a separate ruling, Garnett found that police were allowed to search Mangione’s backpack when he was arrested. The items found inside, including a pistol, silencer and journal entries, will be admissible at trial.
She said officers acted within standard practice when checking a bag that might contain dangerous objects and that federal investigators would have discovered the contents through a warrant in any case.
Federal jury selection is scheduled for September, with trial proceedings expected to begin on 12 October.
At least 235 people have been confirmed dead one day after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. Hundreds of people are believed to be trapped un...
ANEWZ can exclusively report that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Azerbaijan on 1 July....
Another busy day is underway at the FIFA World Cup as Ivory Coast reached the knockouts for the first time. Ecuador stunned Germany, the Netherlands t...
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near...
At least 188 people have been killed and 1,520 injured after powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said. The quakes...
A fourth day of testimony in Luigi Mangione’s pretrial hearing was postponed on Friday after the murder suspect reported feeling unwell, prompting Judge Gregory Carro to adjourn proceedings.
Luigi Mangione told a prison guard he had a 3D-printed gun in his backpack after his arrest for allegedly gunning down a UnitedHealthcare executive, according to testimony at a New York City court hearing to determine whether prosecutors can use his statements and other evidence at trial.
Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old man accused of fatally shooting United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan a year ago, appeared in a New York City court on Monday (1 December) for a pre-trial hearing.
A New York judge has dismissed terrorism-related charges against Luigi Mangione in the killing of health executive Brian Thompson, though he still faces murder charges and a federal case seeking the death penalty.
Russia has called for clarification on whether U.S. President Donald Trump has changed his position on the war in Ukraine following remarks made at the recent G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains.
As Western Europe battles a deadly heatwave that has shattered temperature records, disrupted transport and power supplies, and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks, attention is turning to whether El Niño is playing a role in the extreme conditions.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.
Israel's defence minister said on Wednesday Israeli troops will not withdraw from southern Lebanon, highlighting a hurdle to Iran-U.S. peace talks, as the top U.S. diplomat tours the Middle East to win over allies sceptical about a proposed deal.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
At least 235 people have been confirmed dead one day after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. Hundreds of people are believed to be trapped under rubble and tens of thousands are unaccounted for, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 26 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Power was fully or partly cut across the Russian-held part of Ukraine’s Kherson region early on Friday (26 June), according to the Moscow-installed governor Vladimir Saldo.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has warned Ukraine not to try to draw his country into the war, saying any such move would change the conflict "instantly".
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has formally notified Congress of its intention to sell more than $700 million worth of jet engines to Türkiye. The move drew objections from lawmakers over Ankara’s continued possession of Russian-made S-400 air defence systems.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment