The state terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, were dismissed Tuesday, as he appeared in court in New York City for a pre-trial hearing.
Mangione walked into Manhattan Criminal Court, shackled and wearing tan prison clothing, shortly before 9:30 a.m. for the hearing on several pre-trial motions. Members of the press and the public packed the courtroom, while crowds of his supporters carried signs and chanted outside.
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When he entered, he appeared to look at the rows of public in the back very briefly, then stared straight forward. As he left, he raised his eyebrows in acknowledgement — once at the defense’s first row in the gallery, and then again as he walked past the press and public.
His supporters were later seen following his attorneys down the street as they left court.
Luigi Mangione’s terrorism charges thrown out
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The 27-year-old 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.
His lawyers have been fighting to get the state charges thrown out entirely, arguing the parallel cases amount to double jeopardy. In his written decision Tuesday, Judge Gregory Carro ruled against their request.
The defense had also asked for the two 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.”
“There was no evidence presented of a desire to terrorize the public, inspire widespread fear, engage in a broader campaign of violence, or to conspire with organized terrorist groups,” Carro wrote. “Here, the crime — the heinous, but targeted and discrete killing of one person — is very different from the examples of terrorism set forth in the statute.”
Mangione still faces 9 other state counts
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Mangione will still face second-degree murder and eight weapons-related charges in the state case. If convicted of the top count, it carries a sentence of 25 years to life. He has pleaded not guilty.
“We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including Murder in the Second Degree,” the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said in a statement after the ruling.
The defense also wants to suppress evidence from Mangione’s backpack, including a gun and notebook, claiming it was obtained without a search warrant. Prosecutors deny the allegations and have asked the judge to force Mangione’s lawyers to say whether they will pursue an insanity defense or introduce psychiatric evidence.
The defense also wants statements Mangione made to law enforcement suppressed because his attorneys allege officers failed to provide Miranda warnings, and don’t want non-eyewitness identification testimony at trial, meaning someone who was not a witness to an alleged crime who makes an identification from a picture or video.
The judge did not rule on any of those issues Tuesday, but said hearings on each will begin on Dec. 1.
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