A man accused of gunning down health insurance company executive Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street in New York in December last year is set to appear in court on Friday afternoon, facing murder and terrorism charges brought by the state government.
Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old, pleaded not guilty to an indictment containing 11 charges on December 23. He is charged with murder with characteristics of terrorism and illegal possession of a weapon. If convicted, Mangione could face life imprisonment without parole. He is currently being held at a federal prison in Brooklyn.
Thompson, the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the insurance division of UnitedHealth Group, was shot dead outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan on December 4 while the company was holding an investor conference inside the hotel.
The murder case and the subsequent five-day manhunt captured national attention. While government officials condemned the murder, some Americans expressed anger over high medical costs and insurance companies refusing to cover certain medical expenses, thus elevating Mangione to a folk hero status.
In addition to the charges brought by New York state, Mangione also faces four federal criminal charges accusing him of stalking and killing Thompson. He has yet to enter a plea in the case, where he could potentially face the death penalty.
Avraham Moskowitz, an attorney with experience in death penalty cases, has recently joined Mangione’s defense team. Mangione’s lawyers in the New York state case expressed concerns during his last court appearance that due to intense media coverage and statements condemning him from officials, he may not receive a fair trial.
(Translated from a report by Reuters)