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Luigi Mangione admitted in court on Friday that he fatally shot health insurance executive Brian Thompson and pleaded guilty to two federal charges of stalking the \u200bCEO with the intent to kill him.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI shot Mr. Thompson in Manhattan and he died,\u201d Mangione said. He wore beige prison garb and spoke clearly and calmly as he \u200cread from a prepared statement laced with criticism of the U.S. health insurance system.<\/p>\n Thompson\u2019s widow sat in the front row of the gallery with other members of his family. When Mangione admitted to shooting Thompson, she choked up while two women seated next to her comforted her.<\/p>\n The guilty plea will avert a federal trial in the closely watched case over the killing of the 50-year-old UnitedHealthcare CEO, a brazen crime that was condemned by public officials but became emblematic of Americans\u2019 frustration with \u200bhealth insurance industry practices.<\/p>\n Mangione, 28, entered his plea without a deal with federal prosecutors, and there was no guarantee that taking responsibility would result in any leniency at sentencing. Prosecutors said \u200bthey would seek a sentence of life in prison \u2014 the maximum allowable \u2014 at his sentencing on December 18.<\/p>\n U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett is allowed to consider Mangione\u2019s decision \u2060to plead guilty as a mitigating factor when determining his punishment.<\/p>\n The federal guilty plea also allowed Mangione\u2019s lawyers to file a motion to dismiss separate state murder and weapons charges ahead of a trial in that case, \u200barguing that he should not have to be punished for the same conduct twice under New York\u2019s law prohibiting double jeopardy.<\/p>\n Jamie McDonald, the Manhattan U.S. Attorney, said his office had made no accommodations or concessions to Mangione.<\/p>\n \u201cNo \u200bgrievance or ideological cause can ever justify murder,\u201d McDonald told reporters.<\/p>\n Thompson\u2019s family said in a statement that the plea marked an \u201cimportant step toward justice.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe look to the court to ensure that sentencing reflects the severity of this crime,\u201d Thompson\u2019s family said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n