A judge on Tuesday dismissed two terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, 27, in his state case over the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, but kept the second-degree murder charge. Mangione appeared in Manhattan court wearing beige jail garb, handcuffs, and shackles as his attorneys sought to dismiss both murder and terrorism charges.
Judge Gregory Carro ruled the evidence supporting the state terrorism charges was legally insufficient. In a written decision, Carro said there was no indication that a murder committed for ideological reasons, such as Mangione’s alleged attempt to highlight perceived inequities in the American health care system, meets the legal definition of terrorism without proof of intent to intimidate or coerce.
Mangione faces parallel state and federal charges related to Thompson’s killing. His lawyers argued that pursuing both cases violates his constitutional rights. They had requested the dismissal of the terrorism charges if the state murder case continued.
The ruling narrows the focus of the state case while Mangione’s legal team continues to challenge aspects of both prosecutions.