Prosecutor says 'no celebrity in assassination' after Mangione plea

Luigi Mangione told the court he shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as he walked into a Manhattan hotel in 2024, describing years of pain from a broken back and frustration with the US health insurance system.

US Attorney for New York's Southern District Jamie McDonald pushed back on any justification, saying "no grievance, political belief, or ideological cause can ever justify murder. There can be no celebrity in assassination." The case has fuelled debate over inequalities in US healthcare, where 28 million people can't afford or can't get insurance. Mangione returns to court on December 18 for sentencing, facing 25 to 30 years, while his lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, says he's been "unfairly treated... in every way" as he fights a separate state murder charge the Manhattan District Attorney wants to bring to trial in September, arguing double jeopardy protections don't apply.

Al Jazeera's Richard Gaisford reports from New York.

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