Judge Dismisses Terrorism Charges Against Luigi Mangione in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder Case
Judge Dismisses Terrorism Charges Against Luigi Mangione in UnitedHealthcare CEO Murder Case
A New York judge on Tuesday threw out terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The significant ruling rejects the Manhattan district attorney’s argument that Thompson’s killing was “intended to evoke terror.”
Judge Gregory Carro, however, kept other charges in place, including a second-degree murder count. This means prosecutors must still prove Mangione intended to kill Thompson, but they are no longer required to demonstrate it was an act of terrorism under state law.
The decision eliminates the most severe charges in Mangione’s state case, sparing him the possibility of a mandatory life sentence without parole. He still faces a potential penalty of 15 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the second-degree murder charge. Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, is also facing a parallel federal death penalty prosecution.
In his written decision, Judge Carro explained that while Thompson’s killing last December was clearly not an ordinary street crime and Mangione expressed animus toward the healthcare industry, state law does not consider something terrorism simply because it was ideologically motivated. Carro stated there was insufficient evidence that Mangione intended to “intimidate and coerce a civilian population” or influence government policy.
Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo hailed the ruling as “a big win.” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office issued a brief statement, saying, “We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts.”
Mangione, who has gained a following among those critical of the health insurance industry, appeared in court in good spirits. The ruling comes ahead of pretrial hearings in the state case scheduled for December 1.
Thompson was shot from behind on December 4, 2024, as he arrived at a midtown Manhattan hotel for his company’s annual investor conference. Police found the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” scrawled on the ammunition, mirroring a phrase often used to criticize insurers. Mangione was arrested five days later.
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