In justifying their decision to seek the death penalty, prosecutors wrote in a Thursday night court filing that Mangione “presents a future danger because he expressed an intent to target an entire industry, and rally political and social opposition to that industry, by engaging in an act of lethal violence.”
US Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this month announced that the Justice Department would seek the death penalty for Mangione. Thursday’s court filing by the Manhattan US Attorney’s office formalised prosecutors’ intent.
Mangione’s lawyers have said Bondi’s Apr 1 announcement was “unapologetically political” and breached government protocols for death penalty decisions.
If Mangione is convicted in the federal case, the jury would determine in a separate phase of the trial whether to recommend the death penalty. Any such recommendation must be unanimous, and the judge would be required to impose it.
Mangione is currently being held in federal lockup in Brooklyn.
