Accused assassin Luigi Mangione returns to court as plea change speculation swirls
Accused UnitedHealthcare CEO assassin Luigi Mangione is expected to plead guilty to the federal charges against him at a surprise pretrial conference Friday, a move that could upend his state-level murder trial just weeks before it’s supposed to begin in New York City.
State and federal prosecutors and Mangione’s legal team have not responded to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
LUIGI MANGIONE HEARING SET FOR FRIDAY STIRS PLEA DEAL SPECULATION IN HIS FEDERAL CASE
“There is no deal,” a senior Justice Department source told Fox News Thursday. However, the source added, Mangione is allowed to plead guilty in open court Friday if he so chooses.
The Associated Press reported Thursday that the 28-year-old former Ivy Leaguer is expected to plead guilty in his federal stalking case, citing a person familiar with the matter. Mangione could change his mind, however.
Paul Mauro, a retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor, suggested that Mangione may still enter a guilty plea without any kind of deal in place in a gamble to get out of serving time in a state prison. “It wasn’t a crazy read that it looked like a deal, because even the District Attorney of New York, in the state case, filed a letter opposing any deal,” he said. “But that said, it just didn’t fly for me, and it looks like he’s just gonna plead guilty.”
