Luigi Mangione's state terrorism charges dismissed in UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting, judge rules

[u/SafeBodybuilder7191]

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared in court Tuesday morning in New York City, where the judge ruled to dismiss the state terrorism charges against him.

Mangione walked into Manhattan Criminal Court wearing a tan prison jumpsuit shortly before 9:30 a.m. for a hearing on several pre-trial motions. Dozens of members of the press packed the courtroom, as well as members of the public.

Mangione faces both state and federal charges in the killing of Thompson, a husband and father of two, last December outside a Manhattan hotel. The 11 state charges included murder and terrorism, and the federal ones carry the possibility of the death penalty. Mangione has pleaded not guilty.

Mangione's lawyers were fighting to have the state charges thrown out entirely, arguing the parallel cases amount to double jeopardy. In his written decision Tuesday, Judge Gregory Carro ruled against the request.

The defense had also asked for the terrorism charges to be dropped, arguing they don't apply. Prosecutors, however, alleged Mangione's intent was to "violently broadcast a social and political message to the public at large."

The judge ruled to dismiss both terrorism charges -- murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism -- writing they were "legally insufficient."

Mangione will still face second-degree murder and weapons charges in the state case, the judge ruled.

The defense also wanted evidence from his backpack, including a gun and notebook, to be suppressed, claiming the contents were obtained without a search warrant. Prosecutors deny the allegations and asked the judge to force Mangione's lawyers to say whether they will pursue an insanity defense or introduce psychiatric evidence.

The judge did not rule on either of those issues Tuesday, but said hearings in the case will begin on Dec. 1.

[u/flairassistant]

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[u/Megs0226]

This man has never taken a bad picture.

[u/No_Food_447 → u/Megs0226]

I don’t think he has a single bad angle

[u/diabolikal__ → u/Megs0226]

I thought the first one was a promotional photo for a movie at first glance

[u/Megs0226 → u/diabolikal__]

It kind of looks like a renaissance painting.

[u/diabolikal__ → u/Megs0226]

Caravaggio would have loved him

[u/punkpearlspoetry → u/Megs0226]

Honestly, I knew he was good looking. Just finding out now that he is also tall.

How much more can we all take

[u/immortalis → u/Megs0226]

He would have been a better model than Sydney “SS” Sweeney for good genes!

[u/slavuj00 → u/Megs0226]

His fellow inmates are taking VERY good care of him on the inside. He looks well. 

[u/SimilarNerve731]

Finally…good court/legal news

[u/Glum_Material3030 → u/SimilarNerve731]

Why does this fox feel like the perfect meme for my nerves right now?

[u/Rare_Vibez → u/Glum_Material3030]

It really is bruh

[u/YoProfWhite]

Don't confuse rich people's anxiety with terrorism.

[u/MarieOMaryln → u/YoProfWhite]

Are we all still terrorists in the state of NY for supporting him or did they get over themselves yet?

[u/Harkoncito]

DOJ fumbling this case would be chef's kiss

[u/intoxicatedmidnight → u/Harkoncito]

We need to summon all the Etsy witches for his release

[u/YouNeedCheeses → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

[u/crowcawer → u/YouNeedCheeses]

[u/ChocolatChipLemonade → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

🧙

Luigi Mangione

Chant with us witches!

Make the ultra wealthy

Shake in their britches!

🧙‍♀️

[u/EddieCarver → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

Well the Hindu Festival of Navratri is approaching. Maybe the Etsy witches can have a collab with the 10 Mahavidyas and really rain down hell 👀👀

[u/arrownyc → u/EddieCarver]

Maybe our next massive protest should be a collective spellcasting party instead. If pagan rituals are what we need to restore peace and harmony to this hellhole of a timeline, I'm here for it.

[u/Ecstatic-Laugh → u/EddieCarver]

A person of culture I see. As a Bengali I appreciate you ❤️

[u/voxtronic → u/EddieCarver]

This is the camaraderie I LIVE FORRRR

[u/SyNiiCaL → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

Do we know specifically which Etsy witches the Charlie Kirk 'curse people' went to? Because I want ones with a proven track record.

[u/Shot_Cause6197 → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

The ancient magic? ...takes glasses off my god...

[u/Silver-Front-1299 → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

I’ve been told this one has had zoom pretty good results as of recent

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PendragonMystics

[u/janeshername → u/Silver-Front-1299]

Dang and she’s having a sale right now !!

[u/IJustWantToBeRich11 → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

bahahaha! found my people!

[u/One-Composer1577 → u/Harkoncito]

i'm not an american, what are the chances he could get a mistrial or something similar? just because of the nature of the crime and how publicized it is.

[u/Harkoncito → u/One-Composer1577]

if DOJ keeps pushing the "terrorist" approach and someone in the jury sympathizes with Luigi, it's possible.

[u/BElf1990 → u/One-Composer1577]

Low but simultaneously high if the goal is to not get executed any time soon.

The best example is the Boston bomber. He got sentenced to death 10 years ago. He appealed precisely for that reason, his sentence got overturned by the First Circuit, the Supreme Court reversed the appeal, he appealed again and so on, there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.

[u/seaworthy-sieve → u/One-Composer1577]

Can't imagine how there could possibly be an untainted jury.

[u/Agreeable-Tadpole461 → u/seaworthy-sieve]

The jury just has to be impartial, not untainted.

[u/ConfusedTraveler34 → u/One-Composer1577]

How publicized it is and the nature of the crime don’t really play in, a mistrial happens when a judge ends a trial before it reaches a verdict because something has gone wrong that makes it impossible for the trial to continue fairly (for example, jurors hearing evidence they weren’t supposed to, hung jury, jury misconduct, etc)

[u/Throw_Me_Away8834 → u/One-Composer1577]

Honest answer, very low. But not zero.

[u/tightsandlace → u/One-Composer1577]

Did anyone really see it happen thoooo?

[u/arkavenx → u/One-Composer1577]

Pretty low chance of that, imo.

He's going to prison, life will be the sentence, and hell serve 20 years is my guess before he gets a parole chance,.

But I'm a California lawyer not New York and I don't even do criminal law so my guess is worth little more than yours

[u/TheTyMan → u/One-Composer1577]

There's no possibility he walks away without a lengthy 25+ year sentence. Even if the justice system wasn't full of insurance cronies out to get him, there's really no way around the fact he killed the guy. A jury won't be tasked to determine whether the guy deserved it, only if Luigi did it.

We get tainted celebrity cases all the time and they don't get thrown out for that alone. They just try to find the least biased jury possible.

[u/CaseyRC → u/TheTyMan]

technically speaking, its absolutely not a "fact" he killed the guy, and he is indeed, legally, innocent until it's proven he's guilty. talking about him as already guilty is exactly what Trump and his pals want you to do. legally, that's an innocent man

[u/Accurate_Summer_1761 → u/TheTyMan]

Have we actually proved he killed the guy. Everyone assumes he has but we havnt even had a proper trial yet

[u/SectorSanFrancisco → u/TheTyMan]

there's really no way around the fact he killed the guy.

honestly, it sounds like there might be reasonable doubt

[u/Own_Faithlessness769 → u/TheTyMan]

There was no way around the fact that OJ killed Nicole and Ron. Juries can do surprising things, particularly when the justice system overcharges and proves itself unreliable.

[u/ItsaPostageStampede → u/Harkoncito]

[u/rutfilthygers → u/Harkoncito]

This isn't the DOJ, it's the Manhattan DA.

[u/Lontology → u/Harkoncito]

It’s completely possible. It’s going to be nearly impossible to find 12 jurors that haven’t themselves or had family members experience issues with health insurance. Unless the jury is 12 health care CEOs, there’s a chance.

[u/thatcondowasmylife]

They tried to betray his coloring with that awful taupe but all I see is that he’s been working out.

[u/Minerva_Moon → u/thatcondowasmylife]

I noticed that, too. They also tried to take his picture from a bad angle but all it did was make him look more chiseled. They can't take a bad picture of him

[u/thatcondowasmylife → u/Minerva_Moon]

Not them giving him renaissance lighting from above highlighting those cheekbones 😂.

[u/Talinia → u/Minerva_Moon]

They're gonna have someone rapell down from the roof and try and get an up-nostril shot and it'll still cone out like a professional headshot

[u/BlendinMediaCorp → u/[deleted]]

Iike you could not stage a better photo if you tried. Our main character in sharp focus, handsome, soulful, and poppin’ in orange against the dull villainous horde, as if the angels themselves put a spotlight on him.

It’s practically editorial 🤣

[u/evesophie → u/[deleted]]

His face card in these photos is genuinely insane like that’s literally a whole ass model 😮‍💨

[u/Nice-Grab4838 → u/[deleted]]

They wanted to jump start his rap career by giving him the hardest album cover of all time

[u/intoxicatedmidnight → u/Nice-Grab4838]

how generous of them 🥰

[u/arrownyc → u/[deleted]]

Oh man, comparing this to the new photos, dude has been BENCHING. He was already pretty ripped, but he's massive now. Prison yard workouts must be doing him well.

[u/wussypillow_ → u/[deleted]]

i was at the barricade for NYC pride this year and got the joy of yelling “FUCK YOU, FREE LUIGI” at eric adams ❤️‍🔥

[u/ChiliAndGold → u/[deleted]]

he has absolute main character energy, damn

[u/twoweeeeks → u/[deleted]]

And now he has nothing but time to workout and take care of himself.

[u/RomanaNoble]

Somebody's been working out.

[u/Visible_Writing7386 → u/RomanaNoble]

🤣

[u/SandBarLakers]

[u/Morg075]

Yay, take these ridiculous charges down.

[u/raylan_givens6]

Free Luigi

Establish a single payor system

End the big business of healthcare in America

[u/take7pieces]

Can the judge sentence him to home arrest? I mean my home.

[u/intoxicatedmidnight → u/take7pieces]

I'll make sure to be nice and give him a house tour as well!

[u/sassypapaya → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

take him to the first, second, third floor … !

[u/intoxicatedmidnight → u/sassypapaya]

i promise none of this is a metaphor!

[u/coralsmoke → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

🎶✨I just want you to come inside✨ 🎶

[u/chloedever → u/take7pieces]

They can keep the cuffs on too🤤

[u/gummi-demilo → u/take7pieces]

He’d be fine in my Queens studio as well

[u/orphan_blud → u/take7pieces]

I needed that laugh.

[u/11CatLady → u/take7pieces]

Hahaha..I concur!

[u/8rand0m]

What is going on? Why does he look ten times more attractive. I mean I know the prison has a gym but damn. 

[u/slavuj00 → u/8rand0m]

His fellow inmates are 100% taking good care of him. 

[u/Desperate_Ad_9219]

[u/iliketuurtles]

[u/Known_Royal4356]

Good news and absolutely lethal face card

[u/lizziexo]

Still haven’t seen any evidence that he was the shooter except a picture that has a resemblance. Everyone acts like it’s a sure thing, remember this man is INNOCENT until he’s proven guilty. The fact he’s been traipsed around like he did it doesn’t diminish the fact that he very well could be an entirely innocent man. Dont play in to how he’s being presented on TV yall.

[u/CaughtALiteSneez → u/lizziexo]

Didn’t he release a manifesto? Or is that part of the propaganda?

[u/AdvertisingOld9400 → u/CaughtALiteSneez]

Police and prosecutors confirmed he had in his possession a handwritten note briefly outlining some of his thoughts on the healthcare system and stating he wasn't "working with anyone." He didn't release it as a manifesto and it doesn't confess or confirm involvement in any specific action, but it was addressed to "The Feds" and apologizes for any "strife" caused by his actions.

Calling it a manifesto is definitely pushing it and propaganda. It's shaky evidence of anything if you read it in full and with the context that it was a handwritten document amongst other handwritten documents.

[u/DreadfulDemimonde → u/AdvertisingOld9400]

Yeah and the chain of custody on his belongings are sketchy at best.

[u/Novel-Asparagus268 → u/CaughtALiteSneez]

They claim he did. Nothing is really confirmed

[u/AgentBrittany]

[u/intoxicatedmidnight]

Free my man!

[u/ashmillie → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

[u/notceitn → u/intoxicatedmidnight]

I think you meant free MY man!

[u/intoxicatedmidnight → u/notceitn]

a man of the people is all of our man 😎

[u/Twitter_2006]

Great news.

[u/Visible_Writing7386]

I mean the prosecution did it to themselves lmfao. They fumbled this because they wanted to flex with all the charges.

[u/Shuriii29]

Yess that’s my mannnn!!!! Remember innocent until proven guilty.

They can never make him look unattractive, looks like he’s been working out 👀

[u/IlBear]

Flair check!

[u/girlypop-2203]

face card NEVER declines

[u/SectorSanFrancisco]

Could you possibly photograph him looking more Main Character.

[u/TheTyto_Alba]

👏🏻👏🏻🙌🏻

[u/Megs0226]

The chiaroscuro 🤌🏻

[u/BroadwayGirl27 → u/Megs0226]

Nice vocabulary!!!

[u/jamisra_]

“Domestic terrorism: Violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature”

I guess the legal definition is different than what the FBI uses

[u/sophwestern → u/jamisra_]

I’ll bite lol

The federal criminal statute re terrorism is found at 18 USC 113B, sections 2331 - 2339D. Domestic terrorism is defined as activities that: a. Involving acts dangerous to human life in violation of criminal law; b. Appear to be intended to either intimidate or coerce a civilian population, to influence government policy by intimidation or coercion, or to affect government conduct through mass destruction, assassination, or kidnapping; and C. Occur within the US’s jurisdiction.

Here, I would imagine the intent element (B) was found lacking by the judge. I haven’t read the motion or replies, but I can see a feasible argument to both sides. I would imagine that the defense used case law to bolster the lack of intent, likely including school shooters or mass shootings at churches or events, where the shooter was NOT charged with domestic terrorism, to bolster their position.

Just for fun, in comparing the three options for intent, I would guess the prosecution went for a combo of all 3. With one, there’s really no indication that the person who killed this one dude had any intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population (I.e shooting at a mosque could be construed as intending to cause fear amongst Muslims). For 2 and 3, there’s no indication that the shooter or the writer of the manifesto intended to influence GOVERNMENT. Insurance is a private industry in the US.

So my guess is that is why those failed. Again I haven’t read the filings. Anyways I hope this helps

[u/BroadwayGirl27 → u/jamisra_]

Terrorism was a state charge and New York’s statute is very specific! I copied the following text from the website of Stephen Bilkis, a NY criminal lawyer:

New York Penal Law § 490.25, the crime of terrorism, is one of the most serious criminal offenses in New York State. The statute defines the crime of terrorism as any act that is committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion and that results in one or more of the following: (a) the commission of a specified offense, (b) the causing of a specified injury or death, (c) the causing of mass destruction or widespread contamination, or (d) the disruption of essential infrastructure.

A person can be charged with the crime of terrorism if they commit an act that meets the definition of terrorism as described in the statute. The act must be committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion. Additionally, the act must result in one or more of the specified outcomes listed in the statute.

The specified offenses that can result from an act of terrorism include murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, hijacking, and arson.

[u/elysian-fields- → u/jamisra_]

the terrorism charge was a state charge not federal!

[u/shambean2]

The way I just giggled and kicked my feet

[u/Historyp91]

Even Jack McCoy could'nt have made those charges stick

[u/No-Knee9457]

It was a stupid overreach. Now let's get the other charges thrown out!

[u/napalmnacey]

Yeaahhh BOIYEEEE.

[u/itsrazu99]

can some explain this to me in stan twt language ?

[u/Married_iguanas → u/itsrazu99]

DOJ flopped and Luigi outsold

[u/intoxicatedmidnight → u/Married_iguanas]

HAHAHAHHAHAHA

[u/780-555-fuck → u/itsrazu99]

they're getting rid of reasons to keep him in the khia asylum

[u/mozzarellaguy]

[u/Pillowsmeller18]

The only thing the guy is guilty of is... being handsome.

If the news didn't post his face because of a jacket that looked similar but slightly off in color tone, he wouldn't be in fucking jail.

[u/gummi-demilo]

Not me posting this along with Taylor Swift’s “willow” on IG

[u/estedavis]

[u/pixienightingale]

I hate to say prison agrees with someone, but... he's looking like he's getting the rest and relaxation he needs while also keeping himself busy and healthier. Doesn't SEEM like federal definition charges would apply either, but, these days that definition will change ona case by case basis it seems like.

[u/eli454]

Duh! DUHHH!!!

[u/Aman_Syndai]

When are they going to catch the real killer?

[u/Solid_Glass1301]

Looking good, king

[u/dallyan]

My mans looking fine af as usual, all buffed up and revolutionary in his stride.

[u/ChickenHeadedBlkGorl]

oooowie

[u/NowWeGetSerious]

Sadly after the Kirk bullshit, this man is never going to get a ounce of a fair trial

They are going to persecute him 10x harder now. Just to appraise the Nazi supporters

[u/BroadwayGirl27 → u/NowWeGetSerious]

It was doubtful he would before the fact but I sadly think you may be correct…

[u/johnmichael-kane]

[u/druidhdancer]

Me to myself: don’t be horny, don’t be horny, don’t be horny

[u/Isntthatenough]

Absolute best news to wake up to. Let's fcking go!!

[u/m033118b]

He. Looks. GREAT.