❓WHAT HAPPENED: A judge dismissed two state terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, claiming insufficient evidence.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Luigi Mangione, Judge Gregory Carro, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The ruling occurred on Tuesday in Manhattan court, related to a December 2024 shooting in New York City.
💬KEY QUOTE: “While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC, and the healthcare industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to ‘intimidate and coerce a civilian population,’ and indeed, there was no evidence presented of such a goal.” – Judge Gregory Carro
🎯IMPACT: The dismissal undermines the prosecution’s case, though Mangione still faces several state and federal charges, with his federal trial expected in 2026.
A New York judge on September 16 dismissed two terrorism-related charges against Luigi Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street in December 2024. Judge Gregory Carro ruled that prosecutors had not presented enough evidence to support the terrorism charges, which included first-degree murder and a second-degree murder count tied to an alleged act of terrorism.
“While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC, and the healthcare industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to ‘intimidate and coerce a civilian population,’ and indeed, there was no evidence presented of such a goal,” the judge said. The ruling has garnered significant backlash, with some legal commentators accusing Carro of overly sympathizing with Mangione’s motives.
Mangione, now 27, still faces a remaining second-degree murder charge, as well as other state and federal charges. These include firearm possession, use of a silencer, stalking, and forgery related to his December arrest. He has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The December 4 shooting took place in Midtown Manhattan as Thompson was heading to an investor conference. Authorities described the incident as a targeted, premeditated killing. Police arrested Mangione five days later in rural Pennsylvania, where he was reportedly found with a weapon matching the one used in the attack, a fake ID, and a notebook expressing anger toward the healthcare industry.
Mangione is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and had become increasingly isolated in the months leading up to the incident. Investigators have noted his online writings, which criticized the healthcare system and referenced chronic pain.
His legal defense is led by Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a former Manhattan prosecutor and current CNN legal analyst. She has called the dual prosecution strategy by state and federal authorities “confusing” and criticized the terrorism charges as overreach.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had originally filed 11 charges against Mangione, including the terrorism-related counts. Bragg had described the murder as a “frightening, well-planned, targeted” act meant to “cause shock and attention and intimidation.”
Mangione’s case has attracted national attention. His legal defense fund, the “December 4 Legal Committee,” has raised more than $1.5 million through tens of thousands of small-dollar donations, with far-left extremist supporters framing him as a symbol of frustration with the healthcare system.
Mangione remains in custody without bail. His federal trial is scheduled to begin in 2026.
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