A Manhattan grand jury has indicted Luigi Mangione on first-degree homicide and terrorism-related crimes for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, court docket filings present.
The Manhattan Supreme Courtroom indictment fees Mangione, 26, with first-degree homicide, second diploma homicide as a criminal offense of terrorism, and 9 different fees associated to the high-profile hit outdoors an entrance to the Hilton Resort in Midtown on W. 54th St. close to Sixth Ave.
The primary diploma homicide cost is often reserved for folks accused of killing a member of legislation enforcement or a witness. Mangione was beforehand anticipated to be charged with second-degree homicide.
Whereas first diploma homicide sometimes applies to killing a police officer or a witness, it could possibly additionally apply if “the victim was killed in furtherance of an act of terrorism,” in line with New York State legislation.
Barry Williams/ New York Every day Information
NYPD officers and detectives examine the taking pictures loss of life of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown on Dec. 4. (Barry Williams/ New York Every day Information)
Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two, was gunned down from behind by a masked suspect as he arrived early for UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor convention shortly earlier than 7 a.m. on Dec. 4, footage of the killing exhibits.
Mangione, an Ivy league graduate from Maryland who hails from a outstanding household with important actual property holdings, has been incarcerated at a Pennsylvania correctional facility since his arrest on Dec. 9 greater than 200 miles from the scene at a McDonald’s in Altoona, the place a employee acknowledged him from extensively circulated stills of surveillance footage and referred to as 911.
When cops approached him sitting towards the again of the fast-food restaurant, he allegedly lied about who he was and offered a pretend ID. After he was pressed on his identification, he admitted to his actual identify and was positioned underneath arrest. He faces fees within the Keystone State associated to carrying a firearm with no license, forgery, and giving cops a pretend ID, however Pennsylvania prosecutors have stated they won’t search to strive him on these fees earlier than his case in New York is resolved.
PA Division of Corrections, Altoona Police Division / Getty
Luigi Mangione in police custody in Pennsylvania. (PA Division of Corrections, Altoona Police Division / Getty)
Authorities allegedly recovered a 3D-printed ghost gun and silencer from Mangione’s backpack and ammunition matching shell casings on the scene, which bore the phrases “deny,” “delay,” and “depose,” in an obvious reference to the medical insurance business routinely denying medical care to maximise income.
The cops additionally allege Mangione was additionally in possession of a “manifesto” laying out his causes for the killing. He allegedly wrote that insurers had “simply gotten too powerful,” persevering with to “abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has [allowed] them to get away with it.”
“Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming,” the missive learn, the police allege.
Mangione was not a shopper of UnitedHealthcare, in line with police, however they’re investigating his experiences with the business for potential motives. He posted on Reddit and different boards about ache he endured that led him to endure main surgical procedure on his backbone.
Mangione’s PA-based lawyer, Thomas Dickey, who couldn’t instantly be reached for remark, has stated his shopper is harmless and that he hasn’t personally seen something to counsel in any other case.
As soon as he’s extradited to New York, Mangione is anticipated to seem earlier than a decide for his Supreme Courtroom arraignment at 100 Centre St. and enter a plea to the fees.
His lawyer might request that he be launched on bail whereas he waits for his case to play out; if a decide finds he poses a flight threat, he’ll probably wind up awaiting trial from Rikers Island.
This creating story will likely be up to date.
Initially Printed: December 17, 2024 at 3:26 PM EST
