September 17, 2025

Big news from New York! Luigi Mangione, accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, just got a major win in court. On Tuesday morning, Judge Gregory Carro threw out two terrorism charges against him. That's right—those harsh terrorism charges are gone, but Mangione still faces a serious second-degree murder charge. The trial for this murder is set for December 2024. What happened? Mangione allegedly shot Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel where the healthcare giant was having a big investor meet. This shocking daylight attack grabbed headlines and stirred public emotions. Judge Carro explained his sizzling decision: “While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC, and the health care industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to 'intimidate and coerce a civilian population,' and indeed, there was no evidence presented of such a goal.” In simpler words, just hating a company isn’t enough to call the act terrorism under New York law. Prosecutors, however, are not backing down. They plan to "proceed on the remaining nine counts," according to court statements. Besides murder, Mangione faces weapons and forgery charges as well. Oh, and there’s more drama ahead—the federal court also slapped him with murder charges where the death penalty is on the table! Mangione pleaded not guilty to all charges. His defense team had earlier tried to toss all state charges, saying the government didn’t prove enough to a grand jury and that Mangione’s rights were violated. But the judge’s ruling carefully pointed out that no evidence showed Mangione demanded government changes or used intimidation against the public—key for terrorism claims. If Mangione is convicted of the second-degree murder charge, he could serve from 15 to 25 years behind bars. The story doesn’t end here. Mangione was caught at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania just days after the shooting, thanks to a vigilant employee. From there, he was rushed to New York by helicopter amid a media frenzy, heavily guarded by police and greeted by Mayor Eric Adams himself. With hearings starting from December 1, everyone’s watching closely. Will Mangione’s legal battle become even more intense? Stay tuned as this real-life courtroom drama unfolds!

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Tags: Luigi mangione, Brian thompson, Unitedhealthcare, New york court, Terrorism charges dismissed, Second-degree murder,