Luigi M. pleads not guilty to murder, terrorism charges – DW – 12/23/2024
Monday marked the second court appearance in New York for Luigi M. since his arrest at a McDonald’s restaurant in Pennsylvania five days after the killing of UnitedHealth Group CEO Brian Thompson outside a hotel in Manhattan.
M. pleaded not guilty to New York state murder charges. The 26-year-old faces an 11-count indictment, including three murder charges, one of them murder as an act of terrorism.
If convicted, M. faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Federal and state charges filed against M
According to defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo, who represents M., the 26-year-old is being given “some kind of political fodder.”
“He’s not a symbol, he’s a person who deserves a fair trial,” Agnifilo said.
He also faces a four-count federal criminal complaint charging him with stalking and killing Thompson.
He has not yet been asked to enter a plea on those charges.
Outside the court, a small group of protesters gathered to show their support for Em and anger at health care companies, with one man holding a sign that read, “Reject, Defund, Depose.” , police say the words were found on shell casings. Crime scene. Some accuse insurers of using them to avoid paying claims.
While public officials condemned Thompson’s murder, M. has become a folk hero for some Americans who denounce the enormous costs of health care and the power of insurance companies to refuse to pay for certain medical treatments.
FTM/SMS (Reuters, AP)