The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has handed federal prosecutors a significant win in the Buffalo mass-shooting case, ruling that the Justice Department may rely on the alleged gunman’s racist motive as part of its pursuit of the death penalty. The decision addresses a high-stakes issue in one of the most closely watched federal criminal prosecutions in the country: how the government may frame aggravating factors when seeking capital punishment.

At a practical level, the ruling means prosecutors can present the alleged racial animus behind the 2022 supermarket attack as relevant to the penalty phase, rather than being forced to cabin the case to the underlying acts alone.

A federal judge in Manhattan has sharply narrowed one of the most closely watched criminal cases in the country, ruling that prosecutors cannot pursue the death penalty against Luigi Mangione in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Judge Margaret Garnett of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed the murder count that exposed Mangione to capital punishment, while allowing stalking charges to remain in place.

The ruling is significant not only because of the profile of the alleged victim and the public attention surrounding the case, but also because it underscores the limits of federal charging authority in capital cases.

A federal judge in Manhattan has dealt a significant blow to the government’s strategy in the prosecution of Luigi Mangione, ruling that prosecutors cannot pursue the death penalty in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The decision came by dismissing the federal murder count that opened the door to capital punishment, while allowing stalking charges to remain in place.

That distinction matters.