Luigi Mangione, the 2017 admitted gunman in the high-profile shooting death of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, celebrated a huge legal victory on Tuesday. Earlier this month, a Manhattan judge dismissed two of the most serious criminal counts against him. The decision was made abruptly in the middle of a 15-minute hearing. Judge Gregory Carro presided over the case, as seen in a Manhattan courtroom.
Mangione walked into the courtroom in khaki jail scrubs, with wrists handcuffed and ankles shackled. The mood was electric as advocates stood outside the 100 Center Street wedding cake-like courthouse, anxiously awaiting hearing the court’s decision. They lined up for courtroom seats, fanning themselves with yellow index cards, a sign of the charged emotions surrounding the case.
Judge Carro’s written ruling dismissed the first and second degree murder charges against Mangione. Prosecutors maintained that the alleged crimes constituted terrorism. The court concluded that the merits did not provide enough reasons to find for plaintiff on these particular claims. Mangione has still not escaped the long shadow of a second-degree murder charge related to Thompson’s death, even with the dismissal. On top of that, he’s facing federal charges connected to the shooting.
The legal implications of this case couldn’t be more far-reaching, since Mangione is alleged to have shot Thompson execution-style outside a motel. As U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has described Thompson’s murder, it was “a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.” Bondi even boasted that her prosecution fits perfectly with “Trump’s agenda to curb violent crime and make America safe again.”
Unfortunately, Mangione’s murder charges were not the only ones he racked up. Originally filed in February 2020, the case has garnered national attention. This increase in sensitivity came after the misfortune shooting of right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk, murdered only 6 days before Mangione’s day in court, at an event in Utah Valley University.
This legal team representing Mangione now has its eyes set on future challenges. They’re struggling against the odds of state and federal trumped-up charges. The result in this case could have far-reaching effects on the national conversation around violent crime in America.
“A premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America.” – Pam Bondi
“Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and make America safe again.” – Pam Bondi