Luigi Mangione, 28, accused in the 2024 killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is in discussions about a possible guilty plea on federal charges, sources told CBS News. Mangione is scheduled to appear at an 11 a.m. conference in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Friday, following a letter from prosecutors and defense requesting the meeting. Plea negotiations have been ongoing, though it remains unclear if an agreement has been reached.

Mangione faces federal charges of stalking and interstate transportation of a weapon, which carry a potential maximum life sentence. A federal plea deal could close the federal case but may complicate a separate state murder trial due to double jeopardy concerns. The state charges include second-degree murder, a weapons charge, and a forged instrument charge.

Legal expert Richard Schoenstein noted that a federal plea could pressure state prosecutors to negotiate or join the deal, potentially resolving the case at a negotiated level. If a plea is reached, Mangione would still face a sentencing hearing before a judge.