Luigi Mangione, 26, a suspect within the New York Metropolis killing of UnitedHealth government Brian Thompson, is escorted after an extradition listening to at Blair County Courtroom Home in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 10, 2024.
Eduardo Munoz | Reuters
A New York grand jury indicted Luigi Mangione on prices of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office mentioned Tuesday.
Mangione is charged with one depend of first-degree homicide in furtherance of terrorism and two counts of second-degree homicide, certainly one of which is charged as killing as an act of terrorism.
He’s additionally charged within the indictment in Manhattan Supreme Courtroom with a number of counts of prison possession of a weapon and a single depend of prison possession of a weapon within the second diploma.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is predicted to file paperwork searching for Mangione’s extradition from Pennsylvania, the place he has been held since he was arrested final week at a McDonald’s.
The Ivy League graduate, who comes from a distinguished Baltimore-area household, faces a most attainable sentence of life in jail with out parole if convicted.
Mangione, 26, is accused of fatally taking pictures Thompson on Dec. 4 outdoors the Hilton resort in midtown Manhattan. Thompson, 50, was headed into the resort for an investor day occasion for his firm’s mum or dad, UnitedHealth Group.
“This was a killing to evoke terror,” Manhattan District Legal professional Alvin Bragg mentioned at a information convention. “This was not an extraordinary killing … this was extraordinary.”
Bragg known as the killing “brazen” and “focused.
He additionally mentioned “we have now indications” that Mangione will waive his proper to an extradition listening to on Thursday in Pennsylvania, and consent to be despatched to New York to face the homicide case.
New York Police Division Jessica Tisch blasted individuals who have celebrated the killing of Thompson due to criticism that his firm, the biggest personal well being insurer in the US, denied profit claims by prospects at a excessive charge.
“Let me say plainly: There isn’t a heroism in what Mangione did,” Tisch mentioned at Tuesday’s information convention. “We do not rejoice murders.”
Mangione was arrested Dec. 9 at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after police responded to a name of a suspicious particular person on the restaurant. He allegedly gave officers a pretend New Jersey ID that’s believed to be the identical one he used to verify right into a Manhattan hostel in late November.
Police discovered a gun, a silencer, and ammunition in his backpack. The gun matched three shell casings discovered outdoors the taking pictures scene in Manhattan, and Mangione’s fingerprints matched ones discovered on a water bottle and snack bar left close to the scene, police mentioned.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson (L) and Luigi Mangione (R).
Supply: UnitedHealthcare (L) | NYPD (R)
The shell casings discovered on the scene had the phrases “deny,” and “depose,” written on them, whereas an unfired bullet had the phrase “delay” written on it, the DA’s workplace mentioned. The phrases match these used to explain techniques of well being insurers and different insurance coverage firms to disclaim claims by prospects.
Prosecutors in Manhattan, hours after Mangione’s arrest, filed a prison criticism towards him charging him with second-degree homicide, prison possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a silencer, and possession of a cast instrument.
The grand jury indictment handed up Tuesday supersedes that criticism.
Mangione, who’s being held in a Pennsylvania jail with out bail on gun and forgery prices, is because of seem Thursday morning in Blair County Courtroom for 2 separate hearings.
The primary session can be a preliminary listening to on the state prison prices there. The second listening to, with a unique choose, will take care of extradition proceedings.
Mangione was visited within the jail in Huntingdon on Friday by his New York prison protection lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, and her husband and regulation companion, Marc Agnifilo.
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