Mangione faces three state murder charges, including murder as an 'act of terrorism', and separate federal charges.
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man accused of fatally shooting United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has pleaded not guilty to New York state charges say he did “act of terrorism”.
The plea, which was made in a Manhattan court on Monday, came days after federal prosecutors lying down their own charges against Mangione in connection with the Dec. 4 killing of Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel.
Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania on December 9 and was sent out last week to New York. He appeared in court Monday in handcuffs and was wearing a burgundy sweater over a white collared shirt.
Leaning into a microphone, he said “not guilty” when asked how he pleaded to the 11-count indictment, which includes three counts of murder, including into murder as a “terrorist act”.
He faces life in prison if convicted of the state charges but could face the death penalty if convicted of the federal charges.
Last week, Mangione, who graduated from the prestigious University of Pennsylvania and belongs to an influential family in Maryland, appeared in a federal court in New York for the first time.
He has not been asked to enter a plea to the federal charges. They include one count of using a firearm to commit murder, one count of interstate stalking resulting in death and one count of stalking through the use of interstate facilities. caused death.
'Reject, protect, eliminate'
Thompson's killer has drawn renewed study of the US health care system, in which high costs often leave patients vulnerable to the decisions of insurance companies.
UnitedHealthcare is the nation's largest health insurer.
Long-standing anger toward the industry has been evident in the wake of the attack with some hailing Mangione as a country hero. Mangione's mention during Saturday Night Live's comedy show on Saturday drew cheers from the crowd.
Even many medical professionals and patients who have criticized the violence have taken to social media in recent days to share stories about insurance companies rejecting claims.
About two dozen members of the public attended Mangione's arraignment, and a small group of supporters gathered outside.
One person held a sign that read “Deny, Defend, Depose”, a reference to the words found carved into the bullet casings at the scene of Thompson's murder. The words are often used by critics to describe how health insurance companies avoid paying claims, leading to denied care or forcing patients to pay for big bills out of their own pocket.
According to the federal criminal complaint, police who arrested Mangione found a notebook containing several handwritten pages that “expressed hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives in particular.”
A notebook entry dated October 22 reportedly described an insurance company chief's “terrorist” intention at its investor conference.
