Luigi Mangione achieved a significant legal victory on Tuesday when a judge dismissed the two primary state charges against him: first-degree murder and second-degree murder. Prosecutors had contended that these charges were linked to terrorism crimes. Despite this favorable outcome, Mangione still faces an additional second-degree murder charge, as well as a federal murder charge, related to the killing of United HealthCare executive Brian Thompson last December.
The judge presiding over Mangione’s state criminal case, Gregory Carro, articulated his decision in a written ruling that was released during a brief 15-minute session in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday. “Counts 1 and 2, charging defendant with Murder in the First Degree (in furtherance of an act of terrorism) and Murder in the Second Degree as a Crime of Terrorism, are dismissed as legally insufficient,” Carro stated. He also noted that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence regarding all other counts, which included Murder in the Second Degree (intentional).
In addition to the state charges, Mangione is confronting federal charges for allegedly shooting Thompson outside a hotel, along with counts of weapons possession. He entered the Manhattan courtroom shortly before 9:30 AM, dressed in khaki jail scrubs, with his wrists handcuffed and ankles shackled. His court appearance came just six days after the right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University. The separate shootings of Thompson and Kirk have ignited highly politicized discussions across the nation.
Although the motive behind Kirk’s shooting remains unknown, conservative voices have leveraged the incident to call for investigations into progressive political groups. Former President Donald Trump has advocated for the death penalty for the suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, while his Justice Department is pursuing the death penalty for Mangione. US Attorney General Pam Bondi described Thompson’s killing as “a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” emphasizing that her decision aligns with “Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and make America safe again.”
The murder has sparked a contentious public debate about US healthcare, bridging political divides. Many have praised Mangione while condemning healthcare companies, whereas others have expressed outrage that a murder case is being politicized. On Tuesday, outside the courtroom at 100 Center Street, supporters of Mangione gathered for a glimpse of him, queuing for courtroom seats and fanning themselves with yellow index cards granting entry. Among them was a woman wearing a black T-shirt that read “FREE LUIGI,” while another sported a white shirt with “LUIGI’S PIZZA.”
