Judge Dismisses Terrorism Charges Against Luigi Mangione; Supporters Contrast Case With Charlie Kirk Killing

A Manhattan judge on Tuesday dismissed the terrorism-enhancement charges against Luigi Mangione, ruling the evidence legally insufficient, but left intact a second-degree murder count and multiple weapons- and forgery-related charges in the case, court records and supporters outside the courthouse said.

Judge Gregory Carro in Manhattan Criminal Court struck the most serious allegations against the 27-year-old — murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism — but the Manhattan District Attorney’s office still accuses Mangione of killing Brian Thompson, a former UnitedHealthcare executive, outside the Hilton Midtown on Dec. 4, 2024. Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

In addition to the remaining murder count, prosecutors have charged Mangione with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and one count of possession of a forged instrument in the second degree, according to court filings. The district attorney’s office has not publicly specified whether the decision to drop the terrorism counts affects the scope of evidence it will pursue at trial.

Outside the courthouse, a group of mostly young supporters wearing T-shirts bearing Mangione’s name and images gathered to applaud the judge’s decision and to defend what they described as his motives. Several held signs and displayed a life-size poster of Mangione in an orange jumpsuit. Supporters told reporters they viewed Mangione as acting against corporate greed and disparities in the health-care system rather than as a politically motivated actor.

"He was taking a bite out of corruption," said Gladys Sharpp, 22, a home health aide who said she identified with Mangione’s alleged target. "Violence is wrong but it comes to a point where you've tried every option."

Breigh Marquisette, 45, a paralegal who traveled from Philadelphia for the hearing, said she saw limited parallels with the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, which authorities say occurred at a campus event in Orem, Utah, on Sept. 10. She acknowledged some similarities cited by investigators — including reports that messages were engraved on bullet casings in both incidents — but said the motivations differed.

"With all the comparisons, it absolutely hurts Luigi's case because he had nothing to do with that," Marquisette said. "He covers corporate greed, the constitution. Luigi has a whole bunch of layers, but the Kirk case appears politically motivated."

The killing of Charlie Kirk is the subject of an active investigation in Utah. Prosecutors there have alleged that their suspect, identified in local charging documents as Tyler Robinson, 22, had personal and ideological grievances with Kirk and that messages were engraved on the casings of bullets used in that shooting. Authorities in both cities have cited the engraving detail as a point of comparison, and public reaction to both killings has been sharply divided.

Supporters of Mangione emphasized what they described as a broad, nonpartisan critique of the health-care industry. Veda, 26, who declined to provide a last name, called Mangione a "necessary instigator" and said she believed he was motivated by personal struggles with the health-care system. "He was chronically ill, deeply indebted to this health-care model who was hopeless and depressed enough to say I'm going to sacrifice my life to start this conversation," she said.

Other court observers warned against broad characterizations of the two cases. Nadine Seiler, 60, described the dropped terrorism counts as an "overcharge" and said prosecutors were attempting to intimidate dissenting voices, but she also said that if Mangione is guilty he should be held accountable. "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."

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has said Brian Thompson, 50, a father of two and a former UnitedHealthcare executive, was shot outside the hotel. Court documents and public statements by prosecutors have not disclosed a finalized trial date for Mangione on the remaining counts. Defense attorneys have consistently maintained their client’s innocence and objected to the application of terrorism statutes in the case.

The two incidents — the alleged killing of Thompson in New York and the killing of Kirk in Utah — have prompted debate about motive, the role of symbolism in violent acts and the application of terrorism enhancements in state prosecutions. Legal experts have noted that terrorism designations carry significant sentencing implications and require proof that the act was intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence government policy through intimidation.

For now, Mangione remains formally charged on the remaining counts, and the criminal process will proceed with the terrorism enhancements removed. The Manhattan courtroom scenes and the divided public reaction underscore how both killings have become focal points for broader debates over politics, public health and the rhetoric surrounding corporate and ideological targets.