Manhattan judge dismisses state terrorism charges in Mangione case

A Manhattan judge on Tuesday dismissed state terrorism charges against 27 year old Luigi Mangione in the December killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, but left intact state murder and weapons counts and set pretrial hearings to begin December 1 in the case. The ruling removes the possibility that Mangione would face life without parole under New York’s terrorism statute, though he remains separately charged in federal court, where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

Justice Gregory Carro said the evidence presented to the grand jury did not support first degree murder in furtherance of an act of terrorism or second degree murder as a crime of terrorism. "The terrorism statute cannot be interpreted so broadly so as to cover individuals or groups who are not normally viewed as terrorists," he wrote, distinguishing Mangione’s alleged killing of a single individual from broader terrorist acts. Carro added that while Mangione appeared to express animus toward UnitedHealthcare and the health care industry, that did not in itself prove an intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population.

Prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney’s office have argued...