Defence lawyers for Luigi Mangione have launched a fierce legal challenge, alleging that Attorney General Pam Bondi's decision to seek the death penalty against him is fatally compromised by a conflict of interest stemming from her previous career as a lobbyist.
A "Profound Conflict of Interest" Alleged
In a court filing submitted late on Friday, 20 December 2025, Mangione's legal team contends that Bondi's prior role as a partner at the lobbying firm Ballard Partners has directly tainted her judgement. The firm previously represented UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, whose CEO, Brian Thompson, was murdered. Mangione, 27, stands accused of killing Thompson in Manhattan on 4 December 2024.
The defence argues that by leading the Justice Department's push to turn the federal prosecution into a capital case, Bondi created a "profound conflict of interest" that violates Mangione's due process rights. They assert she broke an ethical vow made before taking office in February 2025 to recuse herself for one year from matters connected to Ballard clients.
"The very person empowered to seek Mr. Mangione's death has a financial stake in the case she is prosecuting," his lawyers wrote. They claim Bondi continues to profit from her Ballard work through a profit-sharing arrangement and a defined contribution plan, indirectly linking her to UnitedHealth Group.
High-Profile Case and Pretrial Battles
The allegations bring renewed scrutiny to a case that has captured national attention. Thompson, 50, was shot from behind by a masked gunman as he walked to a Manhattan hotel for a UnitedHealth investor conference. Police reported that the words "delay," "deny," and "depose" were written on the ammunition, echoing a phrase about insurance claim practices.
Mangione, an Ivy League-educated heir from a wealthy Maryland family, was arrested days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He has pleaded not guilty to both federal and state murder charges. The state charges carry a potential life sentence, while the federal case could result in execution.
The Friday filing shifts focus back to the federal proceedings after a marathon pretrial hearing in the separate state case, which centred on suppressing evidence like a gun and a notebook. A ruling on that evidence is not expected until May.
Defence Seeks Dismissal of Charges and Death Penalty
Led by the husband-and-wife duo of Karen Friedman-Agnifilo and Marc Agnifilo, the defence is urging U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett to bar prosecutors from seeking the death penalty, dismiss some charges, and exclude certain evidence. They argue Bondi's public pronouncements—including an April announcement and subsequent Instagram posts—showed the decision was "based on politics, not merit" and tainted the grand jury.
They further allege that a "highly choreographed perp walk" and the flouting of established death penalty procedures have "fatally prejudiced" the case. The defence now seeks to investigate Bondi's ties to Ballard and UnitedHealth, requesting compensation details and sworn testimony.
In response, federal prosecutors argued in a previous filing that "pretrial publicity, even when intense, is not itself a constitutional defect." They maintain that careful jury selection can protect Mangione's rights, dismissing the defence's claims as a repackaging of arguments rejected in past cases.
A pivotal hearing on these conflict-of-interest motions is scheduled for 9 January 2026. The outcome could significantly alter the trajectory of one of the most closely watched criminal prosecutions in recent memory.
