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MANHATTAN (CN) — Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen New York City street attack in December, returned to a Manhattan courthouse on Friday afternoon.
It was his first court appearance since his December arraignment on state murder and terror charges — and a crowd of zealous supporters flocked to the courthouse in anticipation.
More than 100 Mangione supporters, mostly young women, lined up on the 15th floor of the courthouse as early as dawn. Among the crowd of supporters was famed whistleblower Chelsea Manning, who told reporters she was “exercising my Sixth Amendment rights.”
“I am a member of the NYC public here to witness our court proceedings,” the former WikiLeaker said.
Mangione, 26, wore a black bulletproof vest over a hunter green cable knit sweater, light khaki pants and tan loafers without socks.
His attorney Karen Agnifilo had asked that he be uncuffed from waist shackles during the court hearing. The judge denied the request, citing security concerns from court security officers.
No more than 20 of the gathered Luigi fans made it into the courtroom, where space was limited.
The court did not provide an overflow room or video feed of Friday’s hearing. The judge likewise denied requests for news video cameras in the courtroom but allowed two pool photographers and several sketch artists.
A blonde woman wearing a custom-knit “FREE LUIGI” scarf was among those who did secure a seat in the courtroom. Court officers ordered there be no outbursts as Mangione entered and exited.
Outside the courthouse, a group of demonstrators chanted chants like “Free Luigi” and “Stop denying – people are dying.”
During quiet moments of Friday’s hearing, the demonstrators could be heard from inside the 15th floor courtroom.
The hearing itself was anticlimactic, with New York Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro setting a schedule for pretrial motions but not setting a trial date.
Mangione lawyer Karen Agnifilo argued there had been a “serious search and seizure issue” surrounding Mangione’s December 2024 arrest in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Mangione’s civil rights had been violated, she said, and some evidence would have to be suppressed.
“His right to a fair trial is being continuously impeded,” Agnifilo said.
Some of Mangione’s apparent supporters wore matching green clothing and hats — a nod to the signature outfit worn by Luigi from the Super Mario franchise, who has come to be associated with the accused vigilante. Others wore maroon V-neck sweaters similar to the matching outfits worn by Mangione and Agnifilo at his December arraignment.
Many Americans have celebrated Mangione for his apparent motivations behind the killing: opposition to greed in the health insurance industry.
Outside of the courthouse on Friday, a woman in a hot pink T-shirt featuring a collage of Mangione photos said she came out to support both Mangione and the message his case is drawing out.
“I support human rights such as health care, and I think that the corporate greed is the biggest sin of all," she told reporters. “At the end of the day, if we as people don’t show up for ourselves, then nobody’s going to fight for us.”
Another woman clutching a plush doll of the Super Mario character held a handmade sign that read “Death By Claim Denial = Negligent Homicide." Next to her, another person held a sign that read “For-Profit Healthcare I$ Murder.” An enterprising woman sold T-shirts, including one depicting Mangione as a saint-like figure.
Mangione’s online footprint shows disdain for the for-profit health care industry. Police found the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” printed on shell casings near the site of the shooting — a seeming reference to the way insurers delay payments, deny claims and then defend their actions in court.
Mangione faces one count of murder in the first degree, two counts of murder in the second degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree. The first degree murder count and one of the second degree murder counts are terrorism charges, described in the indictment as murder “with intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population.”
An online fundraiser for his defense fund reached $500,000 in donations on Friday. He is currently detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on parallel federal charges that could see him face the death penalty. The next hearing in his state case is scheduled for June 26.
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