- Luigi Mangione was in court in Manhattan on Tuesday for New York’s murder-as-terrorism case.
- The judge dismissed NY’s top counts of murder as an act of terrorism, for which Mangione faced life in prison.
- He still faces an intentional murder charge, as well as death penalty murder charges in federal court.
Luigi Mangione should not be charged as a terrorist, a New York judge ruled on Tuesday.
In a surprise decision — for which a shackled Mangione was present in a crowded courtroom — New York Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro dismissed the top two counts in the state indictment.
Those two counts — both alleging murder as an act of terrorism — had carried a possible maximum sentence of life in prison. In his ruling, Carro called them “legally insufficient.”
Mangione remains charged with intentional murder in the December death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Carro ruled. That count carries a possible maximum prison sentence of 25 years to life.
Tuesday’s ruling in state court has no impact on Mangione’s separate federal murder indictment, for which he faces the death penalty.
And in another important ruling Tuesday, the judge said he was forging ahead with the state prosecution, rejecting a defense request that the federal death penalty case proceed first.
“The motion to stay this prosecution is denied,” Carro told the audience before setting a December 1 date for the parties to return for pretrial hearings.
Mangione appeared in court in a khaki jumpsuit, his wrists and ankles in cuffs. Heads turned as he was escorted by court officers up the center aisle of the courtroom to take his seat, and they turned again as he was marched back down the aisle after Tuesday’s brief hearing.
A small murmur arose each time he passed the back of the courtroom, from a dozen or so self-described “Luigi Girls,” some of whom had waited in line more than 24 hours to get a seat.
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