Lawyers for Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing the UnitedHealthcare chief executive, had been in talks with federal prosecutors about a possible plea deal, according to sources familiar with the matter. The disclosure marks a notable turn in one of the most closely watched criminal cases in the United States, coming as the legal process moves toward a fresh court date.
Those talks, however, appear to have broken down. According to the reports, sources say the agreement had seemed to be closed earlier this week, only to fall apart since then, leaving the prospect of a negotiated resolution in doubt as the case heads back before a judge.
The reported negotiations came ahead of a court hearing. According to the coverage, the hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday, the next formal step in proceedings that have drawn intense public attention since the killing and the subsequent arrest and charging of the defendant.
The charges stem from a high-profile killing in late 2024. According to the report, Mangione is accused of shooting the UnitedHealthcare CEO in December 2024, an act that put him at the centre of both federal and state cases that have proceeded in parallel ever since.
He has denied wrongdoing across the board. According to the report, Mangione faces both federal and state charges in connection with the killing and has pleaded not guilty, with his state trial set to begin in September, separate from the federal track on which the plea talks were reported.
The defence has pushed back forcefully on the reporting. According to the coverage, Mangione's attorney said information attributed to anonymous sources is part of what the defence described as a troubling, deliberate pattern by prosecutors and law enforcement to prejudice the defendant and manipulate public opinion ahead of any trial.