Alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO killer Luigi Mangione is requesting access to a laptop in order to prepare his defense against terrorism charges, according to a court filing made public yesterday.
Mangione, 26, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two high school students, outside a Manhattan hotel in December.
The Ivy League computer science graduate from a Maryland real estate family faces a rare New York State charge of murder as an act of terrorism, as well as federal charges that could carry the death penalty.
The requested laptop would, according to CNN, “be unable to connect to the internet, run video games or play movies or other entertainment, his lawyers said in Monday’s filing. But it would let him examine, from his jail cell, more than 15,000 pages of documents and thousands of hours of video that prosecutors gathered and were required to turn over to his attorneys.”
Mangione’s case has become a cultural flashpoint. While most Americans were horrified at the alleged brutal murder of a father of two, many Leftists rallied behind the “#FreeLuigi” movement.
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Thousands donated to Mangione’s defense, and his court hearings have been packed with supporters, to the horror of many.
Crowdfunding efforts launched for his legal defense have collectively raised over $700,000, despite platforms repeatedly removing such campaigns.
Many on the Left, according to CNN, seem to be channeling their frustration with the health care system through Mangione, with some going as far as calling him a vigilante.
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In court documents, prosecutors describe evidence of extensive planning before the shooting, including Mangione’s internet search history showing months of queries about Thompson and UnitedHealthcare’s corporate structure.
Authorities reportedly recovered bullets at the crime scene inscribed with anti-corporate messages and what investigators characterized as “manifestos” on Mangione’s electronic devices detailing grievances against the healthcare industry.
Former Attorney General Merrick Garland said in December, “Mangione planned his attack for months and stalked his victim for days before murdering him — methodically planning when, where, and how to carry out his crime.”
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Mangione has pleaded not guilty.
