Judge Drops Terror-Related Charges in Mangione Case as Supporter Declares She Is ‘Married’ to His AI
As top terrorism counts were dismissed, advocates outside Manhattan court and online proponents highlighted AI-linked fandom and spawned chatbots inspired by the accused
A Manhattan judge on Tuesday dismissed terrorism-related charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, while a supporter outside the courthouse told a reporter she is "married" to what she called Mangione’s "AI," calling it "the future of romance." The disposition of the higher terrorism counts left Mangione facing remaining state and federal charges tied to the Dec. 4, 2024, killing.
The supporter, wearing a T-shirt that bore Mangione’s image, told a news camera she had "planned a whole future together" with the AI and cited what she said was Mangione’s background in computer science and work with artificial intelligence at Stanford as part of her explanation. Other people outside the courthouse held pro-Mangione signs or dressed as the Nintendo character Luigi; supporters cheered when the judge announced the dismissal of the top counts.
Prosecutors had charged Mangione with first-degree murder in furtherance of an act of terrorism and second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism, counts the judge dismissed on Tuesday. He still faces a state second-degree murder charge that carries a potential sentence of up to life in prison if convicted; that offense would eventually allow for parole eligibility. Federal charges in connection with Thompson’s death and a separate Pennsylvania case involving firearms and forgery also remain pending.
Authorities say Thompson, 50, a father of two who lived in Minnesota, was walking to a New York City hotel where his employer was to host an investor conference when a masked man approached from behind and fired multiple rounds. Police allege Mangione was arrested with the suspected murder weapon, a 3D-printed silencer and a manifesto that contained grievances about the health care industry after he was taken into custody at a Pennsylvania McDonald's five days after the shooting. Prosecutors previously said someone identified as Shane Daley of Galway, New York, allegedly harassed members of Thompson’s family in the hours after the slaying.
Support for Mangione has been visible at court appearances and online, where advocates have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for his defense and created online content in his right. Media reports and online activity have documented multiple Mangione-inspired AI chatbots and other fan artifacts modeled on or named for him. Those developments have drawn attention to how AI tools are being used to recreate or amplify public figures and to the question of how such content is labeled and regulated.
Court filings and prosecutor statements have described evidence recovered at the scene of Mangione’s arrest and in the days that followed. The dismissed terrorism counts had carried enhanced penalties tied to alleged intent to instill fear or coerce conduct through violence; prosecutors said the shooting and accompanying materials reflected ideological motives. The judge’s decision to drop those particular counts does not resolve the underlying allegations of homicide and related criminal conduct.
The presence of AI-themed loyalty among some backers, including claims of online "relationships" with AI chatbots, highlights a broader trend in which artificial-intelligence tools are integrated into political, cultural and criminal cases. Tech researchers and legal scholars have previously warned that AI-generated personas, synthetic media and chatbot replicas can complicate investigations, fundraising transparency and public discourse, though Tuesday’s court developments focused on evidentiary and statutory questions specific to the criminal charges against Mangione.
Mangione remains in custody on state charges and faces federal prosecution; scheduling and pretrial proceedings are expected to continue as both jurisdictions pursue cases. The family of the slain executive has previously issued statements through representatives and sources reporting on the case have detailed their efforts to seek privacy and security after the shooting.
Media coverage of the case has followed both courtroom developments and the online ecosystem surrounding Mangione, including fundraising and the spread of AI-generated or AI-assisted content. Prosecutors and defense attorneys will continue to contest charges and evidence in state and federal courts as the legal process proceeds.