NEW YORK, USA — A New York state judge on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, dismissed terrorism-related charges against Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, while allowing murder and other charges to proceed.
Justice Gregory Carro of the State Supreme Court in Manhattan struck down two counts — murder in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder as a crime of terrorism — calling them “legally insufficient.”
But he upheld second-degree murder and other charges.
“While the People place great emphasis on defendant’s ‘ideological’ motive, there is no indication in the statute that a murder committed for ideological reasons (in this case, the defendant’s apparent desire to draw attention to what he perceived as inequities or greed within the American health care system), fits within the definition of terrorism, without establishing the necessary element of an intent to intimidate or coerce,” Carro wrote in his ruling.
Murder Charges Stand
Mangione, 27, still faces nine counts under state law, including second-degree murder, which carries a potential sentence of 25 years to life.
He has pleaded not guilty. The judge set hearings for December 1, with a trial date yet to be determined.
Danielle Filson, a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, said, “We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including Murder in the Second Degree.”
Mangione also faces federal charges, including capital counts for which prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, and separate charges in Pennsylvania.
The Killing
Thompson, 50, was fatally shot on December 4, 2024, outside a Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, hours before he was scheduled to speak at UnitedHealth Group’s investor conference.
Police said a masked gunman fled on a bicycle into Central Park, sparking a dayslong manhunt.
Mangione was arrested days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a McDonald’s employee reported seeing a man who resembled images released by authorities.
He was flown back to New York, then transported by helicopter into the city, where heavily armed officers and Mayor Eric Adams awaited his arrival.
Evidence and Defence
Prosecutors have pointed to Mangione’s writings as evidence linking him to the killing.
In one alleged diary entry, quoted in court filings, Mangione wrote that someone should “wack the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention,” adding: “It’s targeted, precise, and doesn’t risk innocents. Most importantly, the point is self-evident. The point is made in the news headline ‘Insurance CEO killed at annual investors conference.’”
Mangione’s lawyers have sought to suppress those writings and other evidence, arguing they were obtained through a warrantless search.
They also contended that the state charges amounted to double jeopardy given the pending federal case.
Carro rejected that claim, calling it “premature.”
“This court is not persuaded that proceeding to trial in the state case first will cause the defendant severe prejudice, and the defendant’s claim that any state trial testimony will prejudice his federal trial is merely speculative,” Carro wrote.
Public Reaction
The killing of Thompson, a father of two and head of one of the nation’s largest insurers, ignited a fierce public debate over health care costs and corporate power.
It has also drawn comparisons to recent attacks on political figures.
Mangione’s case has become a flashpoint, with regular demonstrations outside the courthouse.
Some supporters wear “Free Luigi” shirts, and his legal defence fund has raised more than $1.2 million.
The proceedings have intensified in the wake of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last week, further fuelling national anxiety over high-profile acts of violence.
