Luigi Mangione: 2 Charges Dropped, 9 Charges Remain

A judge has dismissed state terrorism charges, including a first-degree murder count, against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, an assassination that made Mangione a hero to some and a menace to others, including President Donald Trump.

According to the New York Times, the judge presiding over Manginone’s case, Judge Gregory Carro, said he found the evidence supporting the charges, which were brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, to be “legally insufficient.” Bragg had argued that Thomson’s killing was “a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation,” which is what it would have had to be to qualify as an intentional act of terrorism.

From the Times:

New York law requires that prosecutors who charge a defendant with terrorism show that the person attempted to intimidate a civilian population, or influence government policy or conduct. Judge Carro said that prosecutors had failed to show that Mr. Mangione sought to do either of those things.

As for the first-degree murder charge, while some states only require that the murder be premeditated, “New York requires an additional aggravating circumstance, one of which is terrorism,” the Times noted.

For what it’s worth, Bragg’s office doesn’t appear to be pushing back much on Judge Carro’s decision, noting only that the 27-year-old defendant is still charged with second-degree murder and other charges.

“We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including Murder in the Second Degree,” a spokeswoman for Bragg’s office said.

The shooting of Thompson, which took place in December of last year, didn’t exactly get the public response of swift condemnation that people in law enforcement and advocates for bringing killers to justice might prefer. It turns out that enough people of all political parties and ideologies were united in their hatred of “big pharma” and the health insurance industry that Mangione instantly became something of a folk hero, rather than a murderous villain. According to the Times, “An online fund-raising page set up to benefit his legal defense listed donations totaling about $1.5 million as of Tuesday.”

It’s worth mentioning, however, that Carro’s decision comes on the heels of the killing of right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk, whose viral assassination has split the internet and the American people, with many on the conservative side making Kirk out to be a martyr and chamion of free speech, while others refuse to call him anything other than the homophobic, Islamophobic, misogynistic, anti-Black, bigoted great replacement theorist his own words consistently proved him to be.

So, while the killing of Thompson hasn’t been nearly as controversial as that of Kirk, the timing of Carro’s decision could serve as salt on a wound that is still fresh.

In addition to second-degree murder, Luigi is still facing other weapons charges, but if he had been convicted on the highest state charges, which were dropped, he would have faced a sentence of life in prison without parole.

The case regarding his remaining charges is expected to proceed, although no trial date has been set yet.

SEE ALSO:

After Hosting Daniel Penny, Trump Rips Luigi Mangione

Dark Humor, Indifference Highlight Reactions To CEO’s Murder

Luigi Mangione: 1st-Degree Murder, State Terrorism Charges Dismissed  was originally published on newsone.com