Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, received clothes with hidden heart-shaped notes of support from his attorneys, according to prosecutors. According to NBC News, a note was found inside a pair of argyle socks that Mangione was wearing when he appeared in a Manhattan courtroom on February 21.
Her legal team released photos of notes, claiming that their inclusion in her clothing was unintentional. The first note reads: "Luigi, we are rooting for you. Keep your head held high. Know there are thousands of people wishing you luck." and is signed "R/FreeLuigi." The second note is for a Joan, thanking her for her support and guidance in Mangione's case.
Mangione is charged with the murder of Thompson on December 4 outside a hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. He was arrested five days later, when a customer spotted him at a McDonald's in Altoona, about 370 kilometers from New York City. On December 23, he pleaded not guilty to an 11-count indictment, including murder as an act of terrorism and weapons offences.
If convicted, he faces life imprisonment (life sentence) without parole. Mangione graduated as valedictorian in 2016 from a private all-boys school in Baltimore and earned dual engineering degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League school, in 2020. He was last living in Honolulu, according to officials.
The Thompson's murder occurred while many Americans were frustrated due to denied health insurance claims, unexpected costs, and higher premium and medical care costs. Thompson, a father of two, became UnitedHealthcare CEO in 2021, after a 20-year career with the company.
