Dozens of people wearing "Free Luigi" shirts and carrying homemade signs braved the frigid New York City weather to show their support for Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson late last year, as he arrived for a status hearing at a courthouse in Lower Manhattan Friday afternoon.
But when asked about the case and the brutal crime with which Mangione has been accused — plotting and carrying out the early morning assassination of Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk — many deflected, instead insisting that the focus of the conversation around Mangione should be on health care reform.
“I don’t condone murder, but what [Mangione] did and its focus on UnitedHealthcare has really brought to life how our health care system is broken,” Shane Solger told Yahoo News. “I’m here because the way that our health care system is designed right now hurts people. This is kind of a protest of our health care system.”
The status hearing on Friday marked Mangione's second New York state court appearance. He faces 11 counts in New York, including first-degree murder and second-degree murder, and has pleaded not guilty to all charges, for which he faces the possible punishment of life in prison without parole. In late December, he waived his right to extradition at the Blair County courthouse in Pennsylvania, where he fled following the shooting, although those charges haven't been dropped. He also faces federal murder charges but has not entered a plea in that case.
In the courtroom, prosecutors presented Judge Gregory Carro with the evidence they've made available to the defense, including police body camera footage, police reports, surveillance videos and forensic DNA testing materials, CNN reported. Carro scheduled Mangione's next hearing for June 26.
But outside the courthouse, demonstrators like Zach Lennon-Simon were more interested in talking about the need for health care reform than debating whether Mangione is guilty.
“It’s more than just [Mangione], it’s about a whole health care system that is corrupt and not really serving anyone,” Lennon-Simon said. “[Mangione’s] actions are driving us to have a bigger conversation because the one thing about billionaires is they don’t like to get murdered and the one thing about people is we don’t like to have our health care get denied and get murdered for profit.”
Many of those gathered outside the courthouse Friday were either dressed in green or holding green posters, as People Over Profit, a group advocating for health care reform and Mangione's "right to a fair trial," had urged them to do in flyers circulated online.
But there seemed to be some confusion among the rallygoers themselves as to the significance of the color. Some told Yahoo News that green was a reference to Luigi, the fictional video game character, while others said it was a symbol of "life" or a dig at the health care industry's fixation on money. Mangione himself wore a dark green sweater under a bulletproof vest during Friday's court appearance.
One woman, who identified herself as Mary, wore a green “Save Luigi” sweater that she knitted herself. When asked by Yahoo News how she felt about the allegations against Mangione, she said there were “a couple issues at play” and it is important “for me to separate them.” Ultimately, she said, she was focused on the health care issue.
“Personally, I live in constant fear that, even if I do have insurance, that I will get denied for care that I need,” she said. “I think it’s a rational fear because we see so many stories — especially through this case — come to light of people who have been denied health care for life-saving treatment.”
Mary said she felt it was important for people like herself to seize the moment presented by Thompson’s killing as an opportunity to push for change, “regardless of what you think Luigi Mangione may or may not have done.”
At least two billboard trucks were circling the courthouse that showcased stories of Americans who say they were denied life-saving health insurance. There were also a number of "Wanted" posters displaying the names and photographs of other health care CEOs along the streets surrounding the courthouse. While there were representatives from different groups at the gathering — including People Over Profit, the Spartacist League and the Luigi Mangione Legal Defense Fund — it's not clear who was responsible for the trucks or the "Wanted" posters.
Mangione has received widespread public support since before he was arrested.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, many on social media quickly embraced the suspect as a folk hero, latching onto reports that Mangione suffered from back pain that sometimes kept him bedridden or feeling isolated. Police have said they found a handwritten document in Mangione's backpack that suggests he deliberately targeted Thompson because of his position at UnitedHealthcare, though he was not personally insured by the company.
While many simply deflected questions about Thompson’s killing, a few told Yahoo News that they did not believe Mangione was responsible. Kimberly Linn, who was selling Luigi Mangione T-shirts for $40, was one of them.
“It’s a sticky situation, but at the end of the day, given the context of everything, what he is fighting for, what he has said for his views — in terms of class solidarity, in terms of our health care system — those are all things that affect all of us and benefit all of us and I support that,” Linn said.
Marcela Alonso, dressed head to toe in green, was another.
“I think he had nothing to do with it, I think he was a fall guy,” Alonso said. “I think whoever did do it was somebody that was hired and they just used Luigi.”
Mangione, for his part, has expressed gratitude for the support he's received. Last week, the Luigi Mangione Legal Defense Fund, which has raised more than $500,000 over the last two months, published Mangione's first statement from prison.
“I am overwhelmed by — and grateful for — everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support,” the statement reads. “Powerfully, this support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions, as mail has flooded [Metropolitan Detention Center] from across the country, and around the globe. While it is impossible for me to reply to most letters, please know that I read every one that I receive.”
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