Luigi Mangione No Longer Facing 2 State Terrorism Charges

Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing a prominent CEO of a health care company, will no longer face two state terrorism charges, according to the New York Times.

The charges, with one including a first-degree murder count, were dismissed on Tuesday by Judge Gregory Carro, who the Times said thought the evidence around those charges was “legally insufficient.”

In a statement, Danielle Filson, a spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office, said, “We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including Murder in the Second Degree.”

When charges were first announced, Bragg argued that Mangione’s act of killing Brian Thompson on a busy street in Manhattan was “a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation.”

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A judge in New York state has dismissed two terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, but ruled second-degree murder charges could stand. #LuigiMangione #UnitedHealthcare #BrianThompson #BBCNews
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According to the Times, “New York law requires that prosecutors who charge a defendant with terrorism show that the person attempted to intimidate a civilian population, or influence government policy or conduct.”

Judge Carro said prosecutors did not show Mangione tried to do any of that.

Mangione is currently awaiting trial in Brooklny for the murder of Brian Thompson last December. Despite having two terrorism charges dropped, he still face charges including second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and stalking.

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