Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial 507-478-7579 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/smerconish *Paid Partnership*
Luigi Mangione has admitted in federal court that he killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. But his guilty plea may also be part of a carefully calculated legal strategy.
Michael Smerconish examines the continued fascination with Mangione and argues that anger at America’s health care system cannot justify murder. He then speaks with CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig about why Mangione’s legal team may have made a “savvy” move by pleading guilty federally—and then immediately invoking New York’s unusually broad double-jeopardy protections in an effort to get the state case dismissed.
Honig also explains why prosecutors may have had reason to fear a Mangione supporter getting onto the jury and offers a striking prediction about federal Judge Margaret Garnett: he’d be shocked if she sentences Mangione to anything less than life.
Can Americans hold two thoughts at once—that the health insurance system needs reform and that Brian Thompson’s murder cannot be justified?
Vote on today's poll and subscribe to the daily newsletter at smerconish.com
Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
For free and unbiased Medicare help, dial 507-478-7579 to speak with my trusted partner, Chapter, or go to askchapter.org/smerconish *Paid Partnership*
Luigi Mangione has admitted in federal court that he killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. But his guilty plea may also be part of a carefully calculated legal strategy.
Michael Smerconish examines the continued fascination with Mangione and argues that anger at America’s health care system cannot justify murder. He then speaks with CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig about why Mangione’s legal team may have made a “savvy” move by pleading guilty federally—and then immediately invoking New York’s unusually broad double-jeopardy protections in an effort to get the state case dismissed.
Honig also explains why prosecutors may have had reason to fear a Mangione supporter getting onto the jury and offers a striking prediction about federal Judge Margaret Garnett: he’d be shocked if she sentences Mangione to anything less than life.
Can Americans hold two thoughts at once—that the health insurance system needs reform and that Brian Thompson’s murder cannot be justified?
Vote on today's poll and subscribe to the daily newsletter at smerconish.com
Chapter and its affiliates are not connected with or endorsed by any government entity or the federal Medicare program. Chapter Advisory, LLC represents Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO, and PFFS organizations and stand alone prescription drug plans that have a Medicare contract. Enrollment depends on the plan’s contract renewal. While we have a database of every Medicare plan nationwide and can help you to search among all plans, we have contracts with many but not all plans. As a result, we do not offer every plan available in your area. Currently we represent 50 organizations which offer 18,160 products nationwide. We search and recommend all plans, even those we don’t directly offer. You can contact a licensed Chapter agent to find out the number of products available in your specific area. Please contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-Medicare, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP) to get information on all of your options.
