The United States Attorney General, Pamela Bondi, has announced plans to pursue the death penalty against Luigi Mangione, who is accused of murdering Brian Thompson, the CEO of a healthcare insurance company, last December in New York City.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Bondi characterized the murder as a premeditated assassination of an innocent man and a father of two, causing widespread shock across the country.

Currently, Mangione is facing charges in New York State, where he could receive a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, as the death penalty has been abolished in that jurisdiction.

However, the federal charges against him could result in a death sentence.

The manhunt for Mangione attracted significant media attention, leading to his rise to notoriety following his arrest.

For some Americans, the case has become emblematic of public frustration with the perceived power of large corporations.

Upon his arrest, Mangione was found in possession of a handwritten manifesto, which he reportedly used to outline his motivations; while he expressed remorse for the upheaval caused by the murder, he also described the act as necessary.

In the New York courtroom, Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

In a somber acknowledgment of Thompson's death, flags were flown at half-mast outside UnitedHealthcare’s headquarters in Minnesota, reflecting the significant loss felt in the healthcare community.