A court has quashed terrorism charges filed against Luigi Mangione who allegedly shot dead UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.
Thompson was fatally shot in New York City on December 4, 2024 and Mangione was arrested five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, following a nationwide manhunt.
In a huge blow to the prosecutors, Judge Gregory Carro. during a hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday, tossed the charges of first-degree murder as an act of terrorism and second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism. The first-degree murder charge is usually slapped on those who commit the crime against law enforcement members and witnesses to crimes.
However, the court has upheld another second-degree murder charge and hence the Ivy League graduate still faces 25 years to life in the state case. With the terror charges tossed, he will not face the earlier charge of 25 years to life without the possibility of parole.
Mangione will also face separate federal charges that could lead to possible death sentencing.
Acknowledging that there is enough evidence that Luigi Mangione murdered Brian Thompson in a premeditated and calculated execution. "That does not mean, however, that the defendant did so with terroristic intent," the judge said.
While charging Mangione, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg claimed that he should be considered a terrorist as he meant to kill Brian Thompson to "intimidate or coerce a civilian population". The court, however, dismissed the claim on Tuesday.
"The defendant’s apparent objective, as stated in his writings, was not to threaten, intimidate, or coerce, but rather, to draw attention to what he perceived as the greed of the insurance industry," observed the judge.
Alvin Bragg's representative said that the DA's Office respects the court decision and will go ahead with the remaining nine counts.