Luigi Mangione (C) arrives for a hearing in New York City on Feb. 21, 2025.Photo:TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty
The mystery donor gave $36,500 to the defense fund earlier this week and explained the reasoning behind the move in an accompanying comment, noting that the response Mangione has gotten following his detainment played a large role in the donation.
“What intrigues me about this case is how unified folks' responses are regardless of strata,” the anonymous donor wrote. “In Corporate America, for instance, there has been widespread doubt of potential prosecutorial mishandling and overcharging.”
“I’ve also been surprised at the almost ubiquitous nature of support towards the suspect that I would expect to be quite bifurcated in this type of litigation,” they added. “Quite exceptional.”
Supporters of Luigi Mangione gather outside of Manhattan Criminal Court on Feb. 21, 2025, in New York City.Spencer Platt/Getty
Spencer Platt/Getty
The person’s donation beat out the previous highest donation of $30,000 made some time last month. The new top donation has increased the total raised for Mangione’s defense fund to over $722,000, bringing the total closer to the fund’s goal sum of $1 million.
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Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealth Group Inc. chief executive officer Brian Thompson, center, arrives at New York State Supreme Court in New York, US, on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. Mangione is appearing in state court for his arraignment on murder and weapons charges.Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty
Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg via Getty
Mangione was chargedwith one count of murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm, PEOPLE confirmed on Dec. 9.
Luigi Mangione attends a hearing in New York City on Feb. 21, 2025.STEVEN HIRSCH/POOL/AFP via Getty
STEVEN HIRSCH/POOL/AFP via Getty
Mangione’s federal murder charges could land him the death penalty, and he also faces state murder charges that accuse him of committing an act of terrorism. He has pleaded not guilty to the state charges but has not yet entered a plea on the federal charges.
He is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where he has received several letters and photos of support from the public. He addressed the supportin his first public statementlast month, saying that he was “overwhelmed” and “grateful” for those who have written to him in jail.
Mangione is scheduled to return to federal court in Manhattan on March 19.
source: people.com
