A New York state judge on Tuesday dismissed two of the most serious terrorism-related charges against Luigi Mangione, saying the evidence presented by prosecutors was "legally insufficient," but left intact a slate of other state and federal charges arising from the December killing of a former healthcare executive.
Judge Gregory Carro dismissed counts alleging murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism. Mangione still faces one count of murder in the second degree—the most serious state charge that remains—along with multiple weapons charges and a count of possession of a forged instrument, according to court filings.
Manhattan prosecutors have said Mangione, 27, shot and killed Brian Thompson, 50, a former UnitedHealthcare executive and father of two, outside a Midtown Manhattan Hilton hotel on Dec. 4. Authorities allege the defendant engraved the words "Deny. Depose. Delay" on bullet casings and left a notebook in his backpack in which he wrote that the killing was "targeted, precise, and doesn't risk innocents." Police say Mangione fled New York after the slaying and was arrested several days later at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Courtroom observers and supporters reacted visibly to Tuesday's ruling. Some who gained admission to the Manhattan Criminal Court put their hands over their faces and smiled, and others gathered outside wearing apparel and holding signs expressing support for Mangione. Supporters have raised more than $1.2 million for his legal defense, according to reports.
Prosecutors in the state case had charged Mangione with 11 counts, including first- and second-degree murder counts tied to alleged terrorist motivations. The dismissal reduces the number of terrorism-related counts but does not resolve the underlying homicide and weapons cases. State filings list multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon and other alleged offenses.
Mangione also faces federal indictments that include murder through the use of a firearm, firearms offenses and two counts of stalking. Federal prosecutors have warned in filings that Mangione sought to inspire others and "hoped to normalize the use of violence to achieve ideological or political objectives." The federal murder charge related to the use of a firearm makes Mangione eligible for the death penalty; Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has said she will pursue execution if he is convicted on the federal count.
The hearing came less than a week after the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a campus event in Utah, a separate homicide that drew public attention because authorities said the alleged shooter engraved messages on bullet casings. Media accounts and some supporters drew a loose parallel between the two cases; others, including several of Mangione's supporters outside the court, emphasized differences in political motivation and stressed broader concerns about gun policy and healthcare.
In statements to reporters outside the courthouse, some supporters described Mangione as a symbol of frustration with the healthcare system and declined to condone violence while expressing sympathy for perceived grievances. Prosecutors contend the evidence shows Mangione viewed the killing as a "symbolic takedown" and that he saw himself as a "hero." Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Legal proceedings remain active in multiple jurisdictions. Court records show Mangione must appear on gun-related charges in Pennsylvania on Nov. 7, and federal proceedings are ongoing. The dismissal of the terrorism-related counts narrows one aspect of the prosecution's case, but both state and federal authorities continue to pursue separate criminal allegations related to the December killing.