Attorney General Pam Bondi Urged to Recuse in Murder Trial

UPDATE: Attorney General Pam Bondi is facing calls to recuse herself from the federal murder trial of Luigi Mangione due to serious conflicts of interest. Mangione’s legal team asserts that Bondi’s ties to the lobbying firm Ballard Partners, which represents UnitedHealthcare, significantly compromise the fairness of the trial.

In a filing submitted late Friday, Mangione’s attorneys highlighted Bondi’s prior role as a partner at Ballard Partners, emphasizing that she continues to profit from her association with the firm. This connection is particularly troubling as Mangione, 27, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, on the streets of midtown Manhattan in December 2022. Mangione was arrested five days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and he has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges.

The husband-and-wife defense team of Karen and Marc Agnifilo declared, “any criminal defendant, let alone one who the government is trying to kill, is due a criminal process that is untainted by the financial interests of his prosecutors.” They argue that Bondi’s financial interests violate Mangione’s due process rights. The defense pointed out that Bondi took the extraordinary step of publicly directing prosecutors to pursue the death penalty against Mangione, a move they describe as “remarkable and unprecedented.”

Mangione’s defense team is seeking to bar prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty, dismiss two counts against him, and exclude evidence and statements obtained during his arrest. A crucial hearing addressing these issues is scheduled for January 9 before U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett. Earlier in April, Judge Garnett instructed Bondi to refrain from making public statements about the case to maintain a fair trial, following her announcement of seeking the death penalty as part of an agenda to “Make America Safe Again.”

In a recent court filing, federal prosecutors defended their decision to seek the death penalty, noting that “publicity, even intense, is not novel in this district.” They added that “high-visibility cases” are routinely addressed in the Southern District of New York.

This urgent legal battle unfolds as the defense continues to challenge the prosecution’s evidence. Just a day prior to the latest filing, a lengthy pretrial suppression hearing concluded in New York State criminal court, where Mangione’s attorneys sought to suppress statements made during his arrest and the search of his backpack, which contained a gun and a silencer. A ruling from the court regarding this matter is not expected until May 18.

As this case develops, the implications of Bondi’s involvement and the possible outcomes for Mangione remain critical. Legal experts and observers are closely monitoring how these proceedings will unfold, making this a significant story to watch in the coming weeks. NBC News has reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York and Bondi for further comments on this developing story.