Luigi Mangione Pleads Not Guilty to New York State Murder Charges, Accused of Killing Health Insurance Executive
Luigi Mangione, 26, has pleaded not guilty to 11-count New York state murder charges, including three counts of murder as an act of terrorism. He is accused of fatally gunning down Brian Thompson, a health insurance executive, on a Manhattan street.
Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania and was brought to New York, where he was escorted into court in handcuffs and shackles. He is being held without bail and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.
Mangione’s lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, expressed concerns that the spectacle surrounding the case, including public statements from officials, could make it difficult to get a fair trial. She argued that Mangione is being treated as a “political fodder” and “a symbol, not a person who is afforded a right to a fair trial.”
The shooting occurred on December 4, outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan, where the company was gathering for an investor conference. Mangione allegedly said “not guilty” when asked how he pleaded to the charges.
This is the second court appearance for Mangione in New York, with a federal criminal complaint charging him with stalking and killing Thompson also pending. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The case has sparked controversy, with some Americans who decry the high costs of healthcare and the power of insurance companies to deny certain medical treatments seeing Mangione as a folk hero. A small group of protesters gathered outside the courthouse in support of Mangione, holding signs that read “DENY, DEFEND, DEPOSE,” which were also found at the crime scene.