Two Charges Against Luigi Mangione Are Dropped — Does That Mean He’s Free Now?

After Luigi Mangione was arrested in December 2024 in connection with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, he faced multiple criminal charges.

According to Forbes, those charges included murder in the second degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, among others.

Another charge that left some confused was murder as an act of terrorism, per NBC News. After the outlet reported that this particular charge was dropped, however, many were left wondering if it means Mangione is free.

In Mangione's initial hearing, according to NBC News in April 2025, he pleaded not guilty. Many continue to follow the details of his case.

Despite one of Mangione's major charges being dropped, he is still incarcerated. After he was extradited to New York City following his arrest in Altoona, Penn. in December 2024, he was sent to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn.

Vice reported that, at the time of Mangione's arrest and initial incarceration, other high-profile accused criminals had been held at the same location.

In addition to Sean "Diddy" Combs, a businessman by the name of Sam Bankman-Fried, accused of cryptocurrency fraud, was also held there. Bail was not set for Mangione at the time of his arrest, and he is still at MDC Brooklyn.

Mangione's serious charges, including murder, likely make him a flight risk. According to Atlas Bail Bonds, individuals who face charges like murder aren't usually given the option to be released on bail due to being a flight risk and potential danger to others.

Mangione's arrest created a flurry of online support as users continue to follow the case, though he has not been found guilty at this time. Some users defend Mangione as though he is guilty. Others claim he is innocent and should not remain incarcerated.

The New York Post reported that, in an apparent blow to the district attorney in the case against Mangione, his terrorism charges were dropped. A judge ruled that Mangione's charges of murder in the first degree and second degree as an act of terrorism be thrown out. But what does that mean for Mangione and his case?

Mangione still faces a second-degree murder charge. However, in removing the other two charges, if Mangione is found guilty, he faces 25 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

Before, with the terrorism charges, he faced the same sentence without the possibility of parole. Mangione faces other charges that could, per the New York Post, still carry the death penalty.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Attorney General Pam Bondi will seek the death penalty in Mangione's case.

"Luigi Mangione's murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America," Bondi said in a statement on the department's website. "After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump's agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again."