Why is Luigi Mangione potentially facing the death penalty for the murder of one person when other murderers with similar crimes get jain time?

[u/Glittery_WarlockWho]

Please no snarky comments of 'you know why' , 'it's because the guy was rich' etc... There HAS to be a reason why his crime is getting sentenced so heavily that doesn't have to do with the net worth of his victim, or at least I hope there is.

In my city, a drunk driver kills two people in a car and he's sentenced to jail for 20 years and gets out in 12 for good behaviour.

Luigi kills one man and is facing the death penalty?

I don't understand, he didn't kidnap, rape or torture, I've heard of murderers who rape and murder their victims get sentenced to jail.

[u/Time-Painting-9108]

Premeditated murder is not enough for the death penalty. Usually the death penalty is reserved for the “worst of the worst” and murder has to be particularly heinous and meet a legal standard of a few aggravating factors.

This is political bc of a Bondi (she stated it herself). In her debut Instagram post, she said this is part of Trump’s new plan to Make American Safe Again. 

Apparently even the local prosecutors were not going to pursue the death penalty until Bondi got involved. Bondi’s involvement from the beginning in this federal case is actually unconstitutional and Luigi’s lawyers are fighting to get the DP dismissed. 

[u/LivingGhost371 → u/Time-Painting-9108]

New York not having the death penalty is probably a factor in why the local prosecutor didn't pursue it.

[u/DocPsychosis → u/LivingGhost371]

The writing is vague but they may have meant the US Attorney for the Southern District of NY which would still be federal, just not DC DOJ administration official-level federal.

[u/vastapple666 → u/LivingGhost371]

SDNY prosecutors didn’t want to pursue it, probably cause a SDNY jury hasn’t given anyone the death penalty since 1954.

SDNY prosecutors last tried to use the death penalty in 2021, against an ISIS-affiliated terrorist who drove a truck in a bike lane and killed 8 people. If that guy didn’t get sentenced to death, Luigi 100% will not

[u/According-Board9579 → u/LivingGhost371]

State law doesn’t apply to federal cases. This case is being prosecuted by SDNY

[u/rctid_taco → u/Time-Painting-9108]

One of the aggravating factors in the federal statute is:

(9)Substantial planning and premeditation.— The defendant committed the offense after substantial planning and premeditation to cause the death of a person or commit an act of terrorism.

[u/Time-Painting-9108 → u/rctid_taco]

This is perhaps the only aggravating factor that may apply (all alleged of course).  However, it’s the most ‘tame’. Usually it’s the other aggravating factors that are the reason the DP is pursued (and then given) ie. kidnap, torture before the murder, killing many ppl etc. it’s the more ‘heinous’ aspects of the murder…if that makes sense. 

[u/Hatta00 → u/Time-Painting-9108]

Anti-capitalist motive is the most heinous crime in the eyes of the government.

[u/Jamezzzzz69 → u/Hatta00]

this dude was a center right elon & ai loving tech bro lmao

cousin is a Maryland Republican state house member, grandfather owned the main conservative radio show in Baltimore which hosted rush limbaugh

he’s not anti capitalist he’s a tech bro one-shotted by a bad shrooms trip and went completely insane

[u/Mayor__Defacto → u/Time-Painting-9108]

New York does not have the death penalty.

[u/According-Board9579 → u/Mayor__Defacto]

This is a federal case - as in SDNY a federal prosecutor will be handling this case and using federal laws to do so. Not state.

[u/Mayor__Defacto → u/According-Board9579]

Correct, that’s why the Feds took the step of charging him. They want him dead.

[u/Stephie999666 → u/Time-Painting-9108]

But he killed a rich person. So to set the example the rich have demanded a sacrifice so no one else is emboldened.

[u/Saltedcaramelnibbles → u/Time-Painting-9108]

Patrick Crusius killed 23 Hispanic people in the name of “white supremacy”, and didn’t face death penalty.

[u/Hatta00 → u/Time-Painting-9108]

Luigi’s lawyers

Worth noting that Luigi's lawyer is married to the lawyer who defended Diddy. They're good.