Luigi Mangione -- the suspected murderer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson -- has more headaches to contend with because he's reportedly facing federal charges.
According to the New York Times, Mangione was hit with the federal criminal case from prosecutors in the Southern District of New York in connection with the fatal shooting of Thompson in Manhattan on December 4.
As we reported ... Mangione had already been indicted on 3 state murder charges and other serious crimes brought by prosecutors in the Manhattan D.A.'s Office. Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg says 2 of the murder counts are considered acts of terrorism.
The NYT says as of now the federal charges are unclear ... but once a possible indictment is unsealed, SDNY prosecutors could pursue the death penalty, which was abolished in New York state in 2007, yet it remains on the books on the federal level.
Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, issued a statement. “The federal government’s reported decision to pile on top of an already overcharged first-degree murder and state terror case is highly unusual and raises serious constitutional and statutory double jeopardy concerns,” the statement said. “We are ready to fight these charges in whatever court they are brought.”
Mangione will appear in a Pennsylvania courtroom Thursday morning for a hearing in which he's expected to waive extradition to NYC to face the state charges.
You may recall, Mangione was arrested December 9 at a McDonald's in Altoona, PA, during a nationwide manhunt after he fled Manhattan after the slaying.