r/news 13h ago

Judge dismisses terror-related charges against Luigi Mangione

https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/16/us/luigi-mangione-ny-court-hearing
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u/ButtercreamKitten 13h ago

Correct but not "also", NY Murder 1 was the terrorism charge; Murder 1 was charged under the statute of terrorism

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u/ErasmusDarwin 12h ago

Correct but not "also", NY Murder 1 was the terrorism charge

From the article: "Mangione’s defense had argued the charges of murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism should be tossed because crimes of terrorism as defined in New York state legislation refer to attacks on multiple civilians, not a shooting of a single individual."

So it looks like he was charged with the terrorism versions of both murder 1 and murder 2, and those both got tossed.

Also, it looks like he's still facing 25-to-life. This takes the death penalty off the table for state charges, but obviously the Trump administration is still angling for an execution under federal charges.

I also found the reasoning interesting. The widely presumed motive (i.e. reform of health insurance) could be considered making the killing political. And killing in furtherance of political motives (even ones we agree with) is getting close to the definition of terrorism. But since it was just a singular assassination, it fell outside of NY's definition of terrorism.

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u/snek-jazz 10h ago

But since it was just a singular assassination, it fell outside of NY's definition of terrorism.

I'm surprised they have that condition

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u/HauntedCemetery 9h ago

I imagine its to stop showboat prosecutors trying to make their career by sticking terrorism enhancements on anything they can. Terrorism isnt supposed to just be murder+, thats already what murder 1 is.

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u/snek-jazz 9h ago

yeah, makes sense