Nada Tawfik
North America correspondent in New York

The most dramatic moment of the hearing today in New York came when Luigi Mangione described in his own words to the court why he was guilty. "I shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan and he died," he said. "I knew what I was doing", he continued.

Behind him, Brian Thompson's family was emotional as they listened to him plead guilty and the judge accept that plea.

Mangione, wearing a tan jail uniform, spoke calmly with little expression, admitting that he intended to shoot the UnitedHealthcare chief executive with a 3D-printed gun after careful planning and research, and after enduring years of severe back pain.

His voice only slightly faltered as he was asked if he understood that he could face life in prison - "yes", he replied.

In a statement, the Thompson family said today marked an important step toward justice. And now they look to the court to ensure that sentencing reflects the severity of this crime.

Speaking outside of court, US Attorney James McDonald said prosecutors will seek life in prison when Mangione is sentenced on 18 December.

We are closing our live coverage of today's federal court hearing. You can stay up to date on the story here: Mangione admits killing healthcare CEO and pleads guilty to federal charges

Luigi Mangione's defence attorneys have filed a motion to dismiss his state murder case after today's federal hearing, submitting the document mere minutes after he pleaded guilty in federal court.

The motion asks the court to dismiss nearly all counts related to the killing of Brian Thompson, including second degree murder. The only remaining charge would be for his allegedly fake ID card.

To not dismiss the charges would be to place Mangione in double jeopardy, a constitutional concept that protects people from being tried twice for the same crime.

The lawyers say the US and New York prosecution teams "cut a deal" with to manoeuvre around the technicalities of double jeopardy protections and give the defendant the harshest possible punishment.

"Luigi Mangione has been a pawn in parallel prosecutions pursued by the New York County District Attorney's Office and the United States Department of Justice," the motion says. "Both have sensationalized this case and misapplied statutes in an effort to overcharge him."

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Luigi Mangione's defence team has called for his New York state charges to be dropped after his guilty plea in the federal case.

"He's clearly putting all his eggs in the double jeopardy basket," Mark Chutkow, a white collar defence attorney at Dkyema and a former federal prosecutor in Detroit, tells me.

Since Mangione's statements in federal court can be used in the upcoming state trial, his defence options are limited.

"In essence, his statements that he followed and shot Mr Thomson are effectively a confession to the crimes in state court too," Chutkow said.

While Chutkow supposes that it's "possible" that his attorneys might continue to build a defence around Mangione experiencing an extreme emotional disturbance at the time of the shooting, his statements today about the planning that went in to the crime would likely undermine such claims.

"As a result, it seems like Mangione is putting all his chips in the double jeopardy argument.”

Healthcare boss Brian Thompson was shot in the back by a masked assailant in New York on 4 December 2024 as he was walking into a hotel where the company he led was holding a meeting.

Luigi Mangione admitted in court today that he was the one who shot Thompson.

"On the morning of 4 December 2024", Mangione read in his statement, "I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan and he died".

According to New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Mangione arrived in the city on 24 November and stayed in a Manhattan hostel using a fake ID for 10 days before carrying out the attack against Thompson.

He was arrested five days later at a McDonald's hundreds of miles away in Altoona, Pennsylvania following a nationwide search. Police said he was in possession of a ghost gun - a firearm assembled from untraceable parts - a fake ID and a passport. Today in court, Mangione admitted he had used a 3D-printed gun.

Police also said he had a handwritten document expressing "ill will" towards corporate America that included passages such as "frankly, these parasites had it coming". Investigators say the words "deny", "defend" and "depose" were written on shell casings found at the scene of Thompson's killing.

Luigi Mangione currently faces eight total felony charges in New York state court: second degree murder, possession of a forged instrument (for alleged fake driver's license), and six counts of criminal possession of a weapon. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The 28-year-old was originally charged with three additional counts - first degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, second degree murder as an act of terrorism, and a count of criminal possession of a weapon - but those have since been dropped.

He faces 25 years up to life in prison for the state charges.

As we've mentioned, Luigi Mangione faces two separate criminal proceedings.

The one he just pleaded guilty in was his federal case. But his separate state murder case is still scheduled to go to trial on 8 September.

Mangione's attorneys have just filed a motion to dismiss that case after his guilty plea, citing an American law that prevents someone from being tried twice for the same crime.

But the Manhattan District Attorney's office says it's prepared to go ahead with the prosecution.

"We are encouraged that Mr Thompson's family received a measure of accountability today," the statement says. "While federal sentencing is pending, we are prepared to litigate the defence motions. The Manhattan DA's Office remains committed to seeking justice for Mr Thompson and his family."

Image source, Reuters

Jamie McDonald, the US District Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has also been addressing the fanbase that has grown around Mangione since his arrest in 2024.

He says Mangione shot and killed Brian Thompson because of his disagreement with the healthcare business, and that he "attempted to send a public message through violence".

"There can be no celebrity in assassination," McDonald says, calling Luigi Mangione's fans "fundamentally wrong" and adding that Thompson's family "has been grieving for two years".

"We live in a civilised society. We do not commit murder.”

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Given the enormous spectacle surrounding Mangione’s case, the courtroom itself was tense and silent this morning as Mangione arrived in court.

He wore a beige prison uniform and, though US Marshalls had not handcuffed him, Mangione entered the room with his hands clasped behind his back.

As they awaited the judge, Mangione conferred with his attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo, reviewing papers and, perhaps, the statement of guilt he would make just a few minutes later.

The courtroom was full of journalists, Mangione supporters, observers, and a handful of court staffers who had won a lottery to attend in person. And in the front row seated behind the prosecution: Brian Thompson’s family members.

The hearing began with a jolt, as Friedman Agnifilo told the judge: “Mr Mangione is prepared to plead guilty at this time".

From then on it was silent, as the judge asked Mangione a series of questions to ensure he understood the decision he was about to make. He answered tersely but firmly.

Only when he read his statement did Mangione appear to falter. His speech was rushed and somewhat mumbled.

As Judge Garnett politely suggested he lean in to the microphone, he continued steadily until he reached his conclusion - the admission he had killed Thompson.

Image source, Reuters

Mangione's defence lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo has also been speaking outside court.

She says his defence team has filed a motion in state court explaining why the state charges against Mangione "must be dismissed under New York’s double jeopardy protections".

"New York law does not permit a person to be prosecuted and punished twice for the exact same crime," she says.

Friedman Agnifilo also says that, in making a guilty plea today in federal court, Mangione has accepted "full responsibility" for the death of Brian Thompson.

Mangione endured "years of severe debilitating pain while struggling to navigate healthcare and insurance systems," she says, adding that he believed the system had "failed him and destroyed his life".

Because Mangione did not enter a plea deal when he plead guilty, prosecutors are free to "seek the maximum penalty under the law," Jamie McDonald, the US District Attorney for the Southern District of New York, says outside the courthouse.

“There are no accommodations or concessions,” McDonald adds.

A maximum sentence could mean life behind bars for Mangione.

There were reports in US media leading up to today's hearing that Mangione would be taking a plea deal.

That is not what happened - Mangione simply changed his plea of "not guilty" to "guilty".

Plea deals, which don't exist in the UK, often include an exchange where the defendant gets a lighter sentence, or charges are dropped in exchange for his guilty plea.

There is none of that with this case, and Mangione could still face life in prison.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Now that Luigi Mangione has pleaded guilty in federal court, he has waived the right to a trial.

Judge Garnett scheduled his sentencing hearing for 18 December. The maximum sentence for each of the two stalking charges is life in prison.

Prosecutors have recommended Mangione serve between 24-30 years in prison. But ultimately Judge Garnett will decide his sentence.

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

Today the court heard for the first time Mangione tell his story of committing the crime that has garnered worldwide attention.

"After years of enduring severe pains from a broken back," and dealing with the healthcare insurance industry, Mangione stated that he had learned UnitedHealthcare would hold an annual investor conference in Manhattan in December 2024.

He researched online and emailed the company, "posing as an investor," Mangione told the court. “Unlike previous interactions with insurance," he got a quick reply, Mangione said.

He told the court he used a 3D printer to make a gun.

And on the morning of 4 December 2024, Mangione confessed, "I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan and he died."

Kayla Epstein
Reporting from court

"Mr Mangione, how do you now plead?” Judge Margaret Garnett asked the defendant before her.

Luigi Mangione leaned into the microphone before him and stated: "Guilty."

After a year-and-a-half of intense spectacle and legal wrangling, Mangione admitted to killing United Healthcare CEO in Manhattan in December 2024.

The judge had asked him a long series of questions to determine he was aware of what he was doing. Mangione assured her he was.

Meanwhile, Brian Thompson's family has just released the following statement: "Today's guilty plea marks an important step toward justice for Brian and for our family.

"While nothing will ease the pain of losing him, we are grateful that the federal justice system has held the person responsible for this heinous act accountable.

"Now we look to the court to ensure that sentencing reflects the severity of this crime.

"We remain mindful that additional proceedings in New York and Pennsylvania are still to come, and we will continue to seek the justice Brian deserves."

Mangione's lawyers are speaking to the media outside court. We'll bring you the latest.

Grace Eliza Goodwin
Reporting from court

I've just come out of the hearing where Mangione pleaded guilty.

Judge Garnett asked Mangione a series of questions to determine that he is pleading guilty because he is guilty and ensure that he knows what pleading guilty means. He answers each questions with a simple "yes" or "no".

Mangione's lawyer says he did not strike a plea deal with the federal government.

Mangione then reads aloud a statement to the court. He admits to planning the attack on Brian Thompson ahead of time, travelling across state lines with the intent to kill, and 3-D printing parts of a gun that he then equipped with a silencer and magazine.

He also says he emailed UnitedHealthcare ahead of the investors event Thompson was attending, posing as an investor and asking questions about the event. Unlike past times he had exchanged emails with UHC, this time they responded right away, he says.

"On the morning of 4 December 2024", Mangione says, "I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan and he died".

"I knew it was illegal," he later adds.