What happened
New York prosecutors announced new charges against Luigi Mangione on Tuesday, including first-degree murder “in furtherance of an act of terrorism” tied to the fatal shooting of United HealthCare CEO Brian Thompson outside a midtown Manhattan hotel. The 10 other charges against Mangione, 26, include second-degree murder as an act of terrorism, second-degree murder and weapons charges.
Who said what
The Dec. 4 murder of Thomason, 50, “was not an ordinary killing,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told reporters, explaining the indictment. “This was a killing that was intended to evoke terror. And we’ve seen that reaction.” First-degree murder in New York “only applies to a narrow list of aggravating circumstances,” including terrorism, murder-for hire or killing a judge, cop or first responder, CNN said.
Thompson’s murder “kindled a fiery outpouring of resentment toward U.S. health insurance companies,” The Associated Press said, and “rattled C-suites, as ‘wanted’ posters with other health care executives’ names and faces appeared on New York streets and some social media users extolled Mangione’s deed as payback” for denied coverage, large bills and long delays in treatment. UnitedHealthcare said Mangione, who underwent major back surgery, was never a client.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch criticized the “shocking and appalling celebration of cold-blooded murder.”
What next?
A conviction on the most serious charges could land Mangione in prison for life without parole. He has an extradition hearing scheduled for Thursday in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested at a McDonald’s. Despite earlier indications, Mangione won’t fight extradition to New York, his lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo told CNN.