A judge on Tuesday dismissed the most serious terrorism-related charges against Luigi Mangione, a Brooklyn man accused of fatally shooting a former UnitedHealthcare executive in Manhattan, prompting his supporters to reject comparisons to the suspected political killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Senior Justice Gregory Carro in Manhattan Criminal Court said evidence was "legally insufficient" to sustain counts charging murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism. The decision leaves a single murder count in the second degree as the most serious charge against the 27-year-old Mangione, who has pleaded not guilty and denied all allegations.
Mangione is accused of shooting Brian Thompson, 50, outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4, 2024. The Manhattan district attorney's office alleges the killing targeted a corporate executive; prosecutors have also charged Mangione with multiple weapons offenses and possession of a forged instrument, including two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, four counts in the third degree, and one count in the fourth degree.
Outside the courthouse, a group of mainly young, female supporters celebrated the dismissal of the terrorism counts and pressed a different interpretation of Mangione's alleged motive. Some carried life-size posters and wore T-shirts bearing his image or slogans; others said Mangione acted against what they described as "corporate greed" and inequities in the health-care system rather than to promote a partisan political agenda.
"He was taking a bite out of corruption," said Gladys Sharpp, 22, a home health aide who stood near supporters dressed in green and holding pro-Mangione signs. "We're here because we both support Luigi for what he did, taking a bite out of corruption of the health-care industry."
Breigh Marquisette, 45, who said she drove from Philadelphia for the hearing, said the terrorism counts were politically motivated, adding that the dismissed charges had been an overreach. "I do, and I don't, see a parallel with the killing of Kirk," Marquisette said, referencing the Sept. 10 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Orem, Utah. "Not that I excuse homicide or any violence, but people are frustrated, people want to have a voice. Money rules the world."
The two cases have been compared in news accounts and by observers because prosecutors in both matters say the suspects engraved messages into bullet casings and used violence in ways that appeared intended to send a symbolic message. In the Kirk case, prosecutors have said the alleged shooter, identified as Tyler Robinson, 22, had targeted Kirk because of his public conservative positions. Prosecutors in the Kirk investigation also said the suspect lived with a trans partner and resented Kirk's views; those are assertions by law enforcement and have not been proven in court.
Supporters of Mangione drew a sharp distinction between the alleged motives in the two killings. Veda, 26, who gave only her first name, called Mangione a "necessary instigator" and said the act, if proven, reflected desperation over access to health care and personal suffering under the current system. "Luigi, if he did it, was something for ideological reasons in terms of wanting better for humankind," she said. "Yes, murder is wrong, and it needs to be punished, which is why I also believe CEOs and health-care executives also need to face the music."
Other supporters framed the dismissals as a check on prosecutorial overreach. Nadine Seiler, 60, a Mangione backer who carried a sign criticizing political figures, said terror-related charges were an effort to intimidate dissent. "He's going to go on trial. If he did it, he should go on trial and face some repercussions," she said. "But be fair with it, don't put bogus and trumped-up charges on him because you're trying to intimidate the rest of us not to speak out."
Prosecutors contend the facts support their theory of the case, including the manner in which the alleged killer purchased or possessed weapons and the presence of inscriptions on ammunition. The district attorney's office has not released all investigative details publicly, and courts must apply legal standards to determine which charges can proceed to trial.
The dismissal of the terrorism counts does not resolve the underlying homicide charge against Mangione. The remaining second-degree murder count, along with the weapons and forgery-related charges, will be addressed in upcoming pretrial proceedings and potentially at trial. Legal analysts said the judge's ruling reflects the higher statutory and evidentiary thresholds prosecutors must meet to prove that a killing was committed in furtherance of terrorism.
The cases have intensified questions about political violence, symbolism and motives in a polarized political environment where high-profile killings draw sharp public scrutiny. Observers and participants in both matters have emphasized that, despite superficial similarities, courts must assess defendants' individual intent and the evidence supporting aggravated charges such as terrorism.
Mangione's arraignment on the remaining counts is pending scheduling in Manhattan Criminal Court. The investigation into the slaying of Charlie Kirk in Utah remains active and separate; authorities in that case have charged Tyler Robinson with murder and additional allegations that investigators say reflect a politically motivated attack.
As both matters move through the legal system, lawyers, prosecutors and judges will confront questions about how to classify politically charged violence under statutes designed to address terrorism, and whether the facts in each case meet those legal definitions. For now, Mangione faces ordinary criminal charges while his supporters continue to argue that his alleged actions sprang from personal and ideological grievances tied to the health-care industry rather than partisan politics.