Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to ‘terrorism’ in US healthcare CEO murder
Al Jazeera
Mangione faces three state murder charges, including murder as an ‘act of terrorism’, and separate federal charges.
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has pleaded not guilty to New York state charges that allege he committed an “act of terrorism”.
The plea made in a Manhattan court on Monday came days after federal prosecutors lodged their own charges against Mangione in connection with the December 4 killing of Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel.
Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania on December 9 and was extradited last week to New York. He appeared in court on Monday in handcuffs and wore a burgundy sweater over a white collared shirt.
Leaning into a microphone, he said “not guilty” when asked how he pleaded to the 11-count indictment, which includes three murder charges, including murder as an “act of terrorism”.
He faces life in prison if convicted of the state charges but could face the death penalty if convicted on the federal charges.
