"Act Of Terrorism": Mangione Charged With Additional Murder Charges (X image @SyeClops)
Washington DC, US: Luigi Mangione, who was suspected of gunning down a health insurance CEO in New York earlier this month, has been charged with murder “as an act of terrorism”. According to New York prosecutor, a grand jury indicted Mangione with additional murder charges.
In New York, a terrorism charge can be brought when an alleged crime is “intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policies of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion and affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder, assassination or kidnapping”.
“This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a news conference. “It occurred in one of the most bustling parts of our city, threatened the safety of local residents and tourists alike, commuters and businesspeople just starting out on their day,” he added.
The health insurance CEO was shot dead on December 4 as he walked to a Manhattan hotel where UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest health insurance companies in the country, was holding an investor conference. Mangione was arrested on December 9 in Pennsylvania following an alert from a McDonald’s employee.
Also Read: Luigi Mangione: The Suspect Arrested For Killing Of UnitedHealthcare CEO
As per media report, a 3D-printed gun, a suppressor and several fake IDs, including one believed to be used by the attacker to check into a hostel in New York before the shooting, were recovered when Mangione was arrested. Before entering court last week, Mangione, who was in shackles, gave a partly unintelligible message to reporters in which he could be heard referring to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people”.
At the brief hearing, his defence lawyer, Thomas Dickey, told the court that Mangione would contest extradition to New York, requesting a hearing on the issue. The 26-year-old remains in custody in Pennsylvania without bail.
The apparent motive of the killing is not clarified yet. Even while condemning the violence, many experts, doctors and US citizens said it was emblematic of the undercurrent of anger in the country towards the healthcare industry, which is accused of causing high costs leaving many patients vulnerable to the will of insurers.
Days following the attack, many took to social media platforms sharing accounts of insurance companies denying claims.
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The law enforcement memo, which was based on Mangione’s writings, some of which were recovered at the time of his arrest, said that Mangione was likely motivated by what he described as “parasitic” health insurance companies and an overall disdain for corporate greed.
As per the memo, Mangione had written that the US has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not.
Mangione comes from a wealthy family, and a glittery life. He was born into a wealthy family in the US state of Maryland. Reportedly, he is the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer. He graduated from an elite all-boys private institution, the Gilman School, as high school valedictorian in 2016. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, graduating from the Ivy League school in 2020 with a bachelor’s and master’s degree in computer science and a minor in mathematics.
Reading from his posts on X it can be observed that, he lived in Hawaii, from where he regularly posted about technological advances like artificial intelligence, fitness and healthy living. His posts include negative impact of smartphones on children; healthy eating and exercise habits; psychological theories; and a quote from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti about the dangers of becoming “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society”.
