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Prosecutors say Luigi Mangione defense team's juror questions are too 'intrusive' in federal case

Wed, 13 May 2026 14:45:42 -0400

Prosecutors in the Luigi Mangione case are arguing that his defense team's plan to dig into jurors' private lives is too "intrusive."

In court documents filed Monday, federal prosecutors responded to questions to jurors proposed by Mangione's defense team, which haven't yet been made public.

Deputy U.S. Attorney Sean Buckley wrote that some of the questions are "unnecessarily intrusive." Mangione is accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

In his filing, Buckley argued that a question proposed by Mangione's team asking jurors about some aspects of their personal lives goes too far.

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"Disputed Question 14(a) — which asks jurors to list, among other personal details, the ages, genders, occupations, and education histories of their children — is unnecessarily intrusive," he wrote.

LUIGI MANGIONE'S CEO MURDER CASE RAISES CONCERNS ACTIVIST JURORS MAY IGNORE EVIDENCE

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Another question disputed by federal prosecutors asks potential jurors "how often they attend religious services."

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"This question is inappropriate because a juror’s religious practices have no bearing on the juror’s fitness to serve," Buckley wrote.

One of the other questions opposed by federal prosecutors asks if potential jurors have been "targeted" or "investigated" in a criminal matter, which Buckley says "is not appropriate."

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"Where proposed questions are duplicative, seek highly personal information unrelated to juror impartiality, or risk embedding advocacy and legal argument into the voir dire process itself, this Court should decline to include them," Buckley wrote.

Mangione faces state and federal charges in his alleged assassination of Thompson, and his federal trial is scheduled to begin in October.

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In April, a judge overseeing Mangione's state court case moved the trial date from June 8 to Sept. 8. If convicted, Mangione faces life in prison.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Mangione's defense team for comment.

Bill Maher torches far-left assassination culture after string of high-profile attacks

Tue, 12 May 2026 06:00:28 -0400

Talk show host Bill Maher delivered a blistering "New Rules" monologue Friday night, calling out American liberals for what he described as the "lionization" of political violence and the rise of a "fandom" surrounding accused assassins.

Following multiple attempts on President Donald Trump’s life and the 2025 assassination of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) co-founder Charlie Kirk, Maher warned that the "normalization" of violence among the far-left has reached a breaking point.

Maher specifically targeted the growing online "hero-worship" of suspects like Luigi Mangione — the accused killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — and Cole Thomas Allen, who was recently tackled by Secret Service during an attempted shooting at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in April.

"Luigi Mangione, Cole Thomas Allen, Tyler Robinson, and the ghost of Thomas Crooks must form a boy band called ‘New Kids on the Glock'," Maher joked.

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"Just to drive home the point, these are not your father's political assassins. Things have changed. For one thing, today's assassins have popular support with the kids," he warned. Maher pointed to a Harvard Youth Poll from late last year showing that nearly 40% of young adults believe political violence can be justified. "Wow. Seems like five minutes ago when one of the big causes of the left was gun control, but now guns are the answer?"

Maher noted that several suspects have explicitly cited Mangione or political grievances in their writings. He highlighted the case of Jonathan Rinderknecht — the suspect in the deadly Palisades Fire — who federal prosecutors say was "fascinated" by Mangione and searched for terms like "lets kill all the billionaires."

"Good to see the kids have role models, huh?" Maher quipped sarcastically.

While Maher acknowledged that many find the current Trump administration "infuriating," he argued that personal failure often drives these radicalized individuals. Addressing the WHCA incident, Maher noted that suspect Cole Allen was a 31-year-old computer engineer and tutor who still lived with his mother and harbored failed dreams of being a professional video game designer.

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"If you're doing that much rage-thinking about Trump, you're not really mad at him. You're mad at your life," Maher said. "Do you think if he'd ever actually sold a video game and got rich, he'd be doing this?"

Maher showed an image of Allen being apprehended on the ground by security at the Hilton during the WHCA event.

"You're not a hero," Maher said to the "wannabe" assassins. "You're just the guy who runs out into the field during a baseball game to get attention... except in your case, you’d rather be a martyr than a nobody."

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Fox News' Peter D'Abrosca contributed to this report.

Luigi Mangione effect: String of suspects invoke alleged CEO assassin amid growing wave of violence

Thu, 07 May 2026 06:00:14 -0400

The man who was arrested on charges of setting the deadly Palisades Fire early last year was allegedly an admirer of Luigi Mangione, the infamous suspected killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Jonathan Rinderknecht's apparent admiration of Mangione adds to a growing list of accused violent criminals who have reportedly invoked his name, as experts warn of the rise of assassination culture in the United States.

Jonathan Rinderknecht — Palisades Fire

Rinderknecht, 30, a former Uber driver, was arrested in October 2025 and charged with destruction of property by means of fire in relation to the Palisades Fire in California, which kicked off on New Year's Day 2025. Estimates say the fire caused between $35 billion and $45 billion in damage, as it burned 23,448 acres and 6,833 structures over more than a month. Twelve people died in the fire.

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Last week, prosecutors filed a memo in court outlining Rinderknecht's solidarity with Mangione.

"In the months leading up to the fire, he had become increasingly angry with his life and society at large," prosecutors wrote. "For example, in the weeks and hours leading up to the fire, defendant fixated on Luigi Mangione, who allegedly murdered the UnitedHealthcare CEO in New York City on December 4, 2024."

Rinderknecht searched for the terms "free LuigiMangione," "lets take down all the billionaires" and "reddit lets kill all the billionaires," federal prosecutors said, adding that he harbored "resentment for the rich."

"Many of defendant’s Uber passengers on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, described defendant as angry, intense, driving erratically, and ranting about being 'p---ed off at the world' and Luigi Mangione, capitalism, and vigilantism," prosecutors wrote in a court filing.

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"When investigators asked defendant why someone might commit arson in the Pacific Palisades, he responded that it would be out of resentment of the rich enjoying their money as 'we’re basically being enslaved by them' and compared such an act of 'desperation' to the murder for which Mangione was charged," prosecutors wrote.

Daniel Moreno-Gama — Sam Altman and OpenAI attack

In mid-April, 20-year-old Moreno-Gama allegedly traveled from Texas to San Francisco in a planned attack to kill OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to authorities.

He threw a Molotov cocktail at Altman's home, setting an exterior gate ablaze, according to investigators. He then allegedly went to OpenAI's headquarters and was caught on surveillance camera throwing a chair at a set of glass doors. He is accused of threatening to burn the building to the ground and kill everyone inside.

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In January, Moreno-Gama suggested "Luigi’ing some tech CEOs" in an online exchange with producers of "The Last Invention" podcast, The Wall Street Journal reported.

He later walked back the comments.

Chamel Abdulkarim — Warehouse arson suspect

Abdulkarim, 20, of Highland, California, stands accused of setting ablaze a massive warehouse where he worked on April 7. He allegedly filmed himself sparking the inferno, which destroyed the 1.2 million-square-foot Kimberly-Clark distribution center, a paper product hub, and caused $500 million in damage.

DISGRUNTLED WORKER INVOKES LUIGI MANGIONE IN $500M WAREHOUSE INFERNO HE FILMED IN ANTI-CAPITALIST RAGE: FEDS

In that video, he complained about his wages.

"If you’re not going to pay us enough to [expletive] live… at least pay us enough not to do this," he said, according to the Department of Justice affidavit.

Prosecutors allege that he bragged about setting the fire in subsequent texts and phone calls, one of which referenced Mangione and suggested that people would understand his actions.

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"Luigi popped that mutherf---er," Abdulkarim said, according to the federal complaint, adding "a lot of people are going to understand."

He's facing charges of arson of a building used in interstate and foreign commerce and faces multiple state felony counts that could significantly increase his prison exposure.

Ryan English — Alleged plot to kill Trump allies

English, who went by "Riley Jane English" and used she/her pronouns, allegedly walked up to a U.S. Capitol Police officer on Jan. 27, 2025 and said, "I’d like to turn myself in."

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English claimed to have two Molotov cocktails and two knives and expressed the desire "to kill [Treasury Secretary] Scott Bessent," court documents said.

English reportedly left home in Massachusetts and traveled to Washington, D.C., with the intent of killing War Secretary Pete Hegseth, too, whom the suspect referred to as a "Nazi," along with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La. English also allegedly expressed a desire to burn down the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank "two blocks from the White House."

English cited a terminal illness as one factor in the planned attack, and prosecutors used that as justification to hold English without bond.

Prosecutors also said English referenced Mangione.

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"As another example, the Defendant specifically mentioned being influenced by Luigi Mangione, the individual accused in the recent murder of United Health Group CEO Brian Thompson," the court documents said. "The Defendant referred to her call to violence as ‘fate’ or ‘destiny.’ Those statements, coupled with Defendant’s statements that she has only a few months to live, demonstrate that the Defendant is a risk to the community if released."

English pleaded guilty in March.

Shane Tamura — NFL headquarters attack

Last July, Shane Tamura committed an attack on the NFL's headquarters in New York City, which killed four people.

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Prosecutors compared his actions to Mangione's.

"On July 28, 2025, Shane Tamura brought an assault rifle to a Manhattan office building, a short distance away from where Mangione had killed Thompson," prosecutors wrote. "Tamura shot and killed four people, including an off-duty police officer, an executive of a financial services firm, and a security guard, and he injured others, including an employee of the National Football League ("NFL"). Like Mangione, Tamura left behind a piece of evidence for investigators to find, blaming the NFL and football for causing chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Almost immediately, members of the public sympathetic to the defendant touted Tamura’s actions as a laudable continuation of the defendant’s philosophy."

Mangione's attorney did not return a Wednesday comment request, but has said previously that her client does not support political violence.

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"As we have stated before in multiple public court filings, Mr. Mangione does not support violent actions and does not condone past or future political violence," Karen Friedman Agnifino told Fox News Digital in a recent statement. "These repeated attempts to connect him to unrelated acts or to insinuate that he condones or supports these acts are irresponsible, dangerous and prejudicial."

Fox News Digital's Adam Sabes, Stepheny Price, Michael Dorgan, Danielle Wallace and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

Palisades Fire suspect was allegedly 'fixated' on Luigi Mangione and held 'resentment of the rich': court docs

Mon, 04 May 2026 16:40:31 -0400

The man accused of setting off the New Year's Day fire that led to the deadly Palisades inferno was apparently "fixated" with Luigi Mangione and held a "resentment of the rich," according to prosecutors.

Jonathan Rinderknecht was arrested in October 2025 and charged with destruction of property by means of fire and pleaded not guilty after being charged in connection to the Palisades Fire in January 2025. In a new trial memorandum, prosecutors said Rinderknecht was apparently obsessed with Mangione, who is accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Rinderknecht searched the terms "free LuigiMangione," "lets take down all the billionaires" and "reddit lets kill all the billionaires" on Dec. 12 and 13, 2024, federal prosecutors said.

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On Jan. 3, 2025, Rinderknecht allegedly took a screenshot of an article about Mangione pleading not guilty.

"Many of defendant’s Uber passengers on December 31, 2024 and January 1, 2025, described defendant as angry, intense, driving erratically, and ranting about being 'pissed off at the world' and Luigi Mangione, capitalism, and vigilantism," prosecutors wrote in a court filing.

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When investigators asked Rinderknecht on Jan. 24, 2025 why someone might commit arson in the Pacific Palisades, he allegedly responded it would be out of resentment and invoked Mangione.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Rinderknecht's attorney for comment.

Mangione's attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, told Fox News Digital in a statement: "As we have stated before in multiple public court filings, Mr. Mangione does not support violent actions and does not condone past or future political violence. These repeated attempts to connect him to unrelated acts or to insinuate that he condones or supports these acts are irresponsible, dangerous and prejudicial."

Before Rinderknecht allegedly started the fire that served as the precursor to the Palisades Fire, prosecutors said in the memo that he "exhibited extreme anger, indignation, and frustration about being unable to find companionship on New Year’s Eve."

Specifically, prosecutors alleged, Rinderknecht was frustrated about his relationship with a former co-worker he briefly dated in March 2024. When the former co-worker requested space from him on Dec. 30, 2024, Rinderknecht "left her two manic voicemails and entered prompts into ChatGPT expressing his extreme displeasure of her treatment of him," prosecutors said.

PALISADES FIRE SUSPECT HELD WITHOUT BOND

Federal authorities said Rinderknecht worked as an Uber driver in Los Angeles from New Year's Eve 2024 to New Year's Day 2025, adding that two of his passengers expressed that "he appeared agitated and angry that night after dropping off a passenger in Pacific Palisades."

After allegedly sparking the fire after parking at the Skull Rock trailhead, Rinderknecht called 911, then asked ChatGPT, "Are you at fault if a fire is lift [sic] because of your cigarettes?"

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ChatGPT, according to the complaint, responded with "Yes," and explained.

While prosecutors allege that Rinderknecht sparked the Lachman Fire, which was put out Jan. 2, heavy winds reignited underground embers, which sparked the Palisades Fire. In total, the Palisades Fire claimed the lives of 12 people and left many displaced.

Rinderknecht has been charged with destruction of property by means of fire, arson affecting property used in interstate commerce and timber set afire.

Luigi Mangione 'does not support violent actions,' attorney says as political attacks mount across the US

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:43:38 -0400

Luigi Mangione's legal team is urging an end to political violence in the U.S. and distancing the accused assassin from the suspects in a series of similar but unrelated crimes.

"As we have stated before in multiple public court filings, Mr. Mangione does not support violent actions and does not condone past or future political violence," his attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, told Fox News Digital. "These repeated attempts to connect him to unrelated acts or to insinuate that he condones or supports these acts are irresponsible, dangerous and prejudicial."

Her comments came in response to a request for comment from Fox News Digital in the wake of the latest attack, over the weekend at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner in Washington, D.C.

A 31-year-old California teacher named Cole Allen was arrested after allegedly shooting a U.S. Secret Service agent in the chest in a failed attempt to get into the event, attended by President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, the first lady, Cabinet members and prominent media figures.

NYC PROSECUTORS SHARE EVIDENCE PHOTOS REVEALING LUIGI MANGIONE'S POSSESSIONS AT TIME OF ARREST

Federal prosecutors have accused Allen of attempting to assassinate the president and filed federal firearms charges, alleging he wrote a "manifesto" sent to relatives and his former employer.

"Cole Allen traveled across the country with deadly weapons and a plan to assassinate the President of the United States," said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. "The swift and courageous response of the Secret Service officers prevented unimaginable tragedy. There is no room in this city for political violence."

Earlier this month, a Texas man named Daniel Moreno-Gama was accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI founder Sam Altman's California home. The 20-year-old suspect allegedly referenced "Luigi'ing some tech CEOs," The Wall Street Journal reported previously.

The case prompted San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins to warn that "incendiary rhetoric" could have motivated the crime.

Another arson attack suspect, Chamel Abdulkarim, allegedly invoked Mangione on video while prosecutors allege he set a warehouse on fire in Ontario, California.

"Luigi popped that motherf---er," he said, according to a federal criminal complaint, adding "a lot of people are going to understand."

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Prosecutors have alleged that the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, led to a broad social impact and may have inspired others to violence — by design.

In an Aug. 27, 2025, filing in federal court, they argued that "the context and execution of [Thompson's] murder strongly suggest that the defendant intended to influence or provoke broader reactions beyond the immediate killing."

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"Simply put, the defendant hoped to normalize the use of violence to achieve ideological or political objectives," prosecutors wrote.

Mangione, who is accused of stalking Thompson from Minnesota to New York before shooting him in the back, allegedly wrote messages on shell casings used in Thompson's shooting, a detail prosecutors alleged in the Aug. 27 filing was specifically intended to encourage media coverage. He also allegedly wrote journals describing the motivations behind the attack.

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In September 2025, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, 31, was assassinated during a speaking event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. Authorities have charged a 22-year-old named Tyler Robinson, who allegedly engraved messages into shell casings.

That same month, a gunman opened fire on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Dallas, Texas. Joshua Jahn, 29, killed a detainee, injured two others and fatally shot himself. Pictures show authorities recovered rounds from the scene, at least one inscribed with the phrase, "ANTI-ICE."

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Robin Westman, a 23-year-old accused of shooting children through the windows of a Minneapolis Catholic Church in August 2025, also posted videos online showing weapons and magazines covered in anti-Trump and anti-Christian messages.

Mangione's lawyers have argued that Thompson's death was not an act of "political violence" to begin with, writing that he was not a public servant, not a politician, and not engaged in politics.

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"The Government has indelibly prejudiced Mr. Mangione by baselessly linking him to unrelated violent events, and left-wing extremist groups, despite there being no connection or affiliation," his lawyers wrote in a Sept. 23 letter to the judge overseeing his federal case, Margaret Garnett.

They were responding to comments from top White House officials describing Mangione as "left wing" as part of a bid to have the potential death penalty taken off the table before trial.

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"A recent, tragic, high-profile murder has only increased this prejudicial rhetoric. The attempts to connect Mr. Mangione with these incidents and paint him as a 'left-wing' violent extremist are false, prejudicial, and part of a greater political narrative that has no place in any criminal case, especially one where the death penalty is at stake."

His lawyers subsequently won a ruling that removed the chance of capital punishment.

Fox News' Stepheny Price and Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

UnitedHealthcare fires woman over ‘Aww, they missed?’ comment on Trump assassination attempt

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:40:37 -0400

UnitedHealthcare has fired a woman who expressed sadness in a TikTok video that President Donald Trump was not killed in the Saturday shooting during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner. In the video, she sarcastically asked, "Aww, they missed?"

"We're cooked as a country when my first reaction to hearing the news about Trump's attempt was, ‘It was probably fake,’" Alison King, who has reportedly deleted her LinkedIn account but was identified as a social media manager for UnitedHealthcare, said in the video.

"Like, immediately I was like, 'Oh, that wasn't real, probably fake,’" King said. "And the second was 'Aww, they missed? So happy they missed.’ Yeah, that's sad,’" King said sarcastically.

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"That's when you know we're cooked," King added.

In a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for UnitedHealthcare said, "Violence is never acceptable and any comments that suggest otherwise are in no way consistent with our mission and values. The person who made comments online about Saturday night’s incident at a Washington event where President Trump and many other political leaders were gathered is no longer employed by the company."

Fox News Digital reached out to King, but she declined to comment.

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The suspected shooter, Cole Tomas Allen, was arrested Saturday night after authorities said he opened fire at the Washington Hilton Hotel during the dinner, which Trump was attending for the first time as president.

Allen is facing life in prison. Fox News Digital reported Allen wanted to target Trump administration officials in his foiled attack, according to law enforcement sources.

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On Dec. 4, 2024, Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot to death in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.

Suspected shooter Luigi Mangione will return to state court May 18 for a ruling on motions to suppress evidence and statements from his Altoona, Pennsylvania arrest.

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Hasan Piker sparks backlash with Luigi Mangione remarks, claims slain CEO engaged in 'social murder'

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:55:01 -0400

Hasan Piker stirred more controversy in a recent New York Times interview in which he addressed the Luigi Mangione case and the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Mangione is accused of murdering Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, as the healthcare CEO was on his way to a medical conference. He is facing both state and federal charges, and his federal trial was recently delayed until October. Mangione's state trial is expected to begin on Sept. 8.

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Piker, a controversial Twitch streamer, said that the American people "understand" why Thompson was killed and accused the slain CEO of committing "social murder."

"Friedrich Engels wrote about the concept of social murder. And Brian Thompson, as the UnitedHealthcare CEO, was engaging in a tremendous amount of social murder," Piker said during an appearance on The New York Times podcast "The Opinions."

"And that was a fascinating story for me, because Americans are very Draconian about crime and punishment. They’re very black and white on this issue. And yet, because of the pervasive pain that the private health care system had created for the average American, I saw so many people immediately understand why this death had taken place," he added.

Piker argued that the pain associated with private healthcare costs was so "universalized" that "virtually every American had a similar experience." He then said too many Americans had seen loved ones spending their last days on the phone with healthcare providers trying to find ways to not pass the debt to the next generation.

"That’s a harrowing process for a lot of people. And for them, that is murder; for them, that is torture. And that is the reason why, I think, the reaction to Luigi Mangione, especially by younger generations, was not so negative," Piker said.

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In the same "The Opinions" interview, Piker also sparked backlash when he stated that he was "pro-piracy" and "pro stealing from big corporations because they steal quite a bit more from their own workers."

The New York Times interview was not the first platform where Piker has addressed the Mangione case. When reacting to Mangione's arrest, Piker referred to the suspect as "our boy" and said that the perp walk made him "look sick as f--k," according to a clip of the stream posted on TikTok.

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A 2025 article in the New Yorker also noted that Piker said Mangione was "hotter" than him. The article stated that he repeatedly said that he did not condone violence.

Fox News Digital reached out to Piker's representatives for comment.

Altman attack suspect referenced Luigi Mangione as copycat fears grow

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:59:00 -0400

A Texas man accused of firebombing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s home referenced alleged killer Luigi Mangione in online messages months before the attack, as authorities warn of a potential copycat trend.

Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, suggested "Luigi’ing some tech CEOs" in an online exchange with producers of "The Last Invention" podcast, according to The Wall Street Journal, which reviewed screenshots of messages with the podcast producers. Mangione is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan in December 2024.

Moreno-Gama recorded the interview in January, describing his shift from a self-described online enthusiast to an activist consumed by fears about artificial intelligence, the outlet reported.

He later downplayed the Mangione remarks and rejected violence.

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"I understand the frustration with a person who might advocate for that, but it’s not practical," Moreno-Gama said, according to the outlet. "It’s not worth it," he added.

Moreno-Gama is accused of traveling from Texas to San Francisco in a planned attempt to kill Altman. Early Friday morning, he allegedly hurled a Molotov cocktail at Altman’s home, setting an exterior gate on fire before fleeing. No injuries were reported, and officials have not said whether Altman was home at the time.

Less than an hour later, investigators said Moreno-Gama arrived at OpenAI’s headquarters about three miles away, where he allegedly threatened to burn the building down and kill anyone inside. Surveillance video captured him throwing a chair at the glass doors, police said.

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Authorities arrested him outside the building, where he was allegedly carrying a jug of kerosene, a lighter and writings expressing hostility toward artificial intelligence.

Sources familiar with the investigation previously told Fox News Digital the suspect had what they described as a manifesto, a multi-part document that included a list of AI executives and investors along with their names and addresses.

Moreno-Gama appeared in a San Francisco courtroom but did not enter a plea on multiple charges, including attempted murder. A judge granted a delay in his arraignment, and he is due back in court on May 5.

The reference comes amid growing fears of copycat incidents tied to Mangione.

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In a separate case, a California man is accused of deliberately setting an April 7 fire that destroyed a 1.2 million-square-foot Kimberly-Clark distribution center in Ontario.

Prosecutors said the suspect, Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, of Highland, invoked Mangione while filming the fire and complaining about wages. Abdulkarim has pleaded not guilty.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This report has been updated to remove a photo from an unrelated court case.

Hannity probes the psychology of Trump's would-be assassin and a new wave of radicalized youth on Fox Nation

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:36:47 -0400

The assassination attempt of President Donald Trump in July 2024 rocked America and changed the course of the presidential race.

Nearly two years later, Fox Nation is taking a close look into the minds of the would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, and other violent suspected extremists in a new special hosted by Sean Hannity.

"Radicalized: with Sean Hannity" examines the background of Crooks and other alleged violent extremists, including Luigi Mangione and Tyler Robinson. Hannity highlights the consequences of online radicalization, urging viewers to consider its dangers.

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"They were young men with futures, kids who once walked around on campuses just like this," Hannity said. "They made plans, they had dreams, and somewhere between the campus gate and their adult lives, something broke."

The "Hannity" host is joined by an all-star lineup of experts to give more insight into how these young men traveled down the road to infamy. Author and former FBI special agent Nicole Parker dissected Crooks' online activity and how he was "very isolated" in his room at home.

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"Thomas Crooks was known to be not really social," she said. "He wasn't known to have very many friends. In fact, he was kind of a loner.

"Had no known official psychiatric diagnosis or mental health issue, but he was doing a lot of online searches about major depressive disorders. So, clearly he was suffering."

Dr. Drew Pinsky, a media personality and addiction specialist, took a more scientific approach to describing Crooks, noting his isolation may have increased his risk of accepting extremist political and cultural views.

"Radicalization really doesn't start with ideology; it starts with psychological pain," Pinsky said. "We finally, in my profession, acknowledge that adverse childhood experiences affect mental health and put people at risk of a number of problems, radicalization being one of them."

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In November 2024, the FBI concluded that Crooks, who was killed by a Secret Service counter sniper team, acted alone in an attempt on Trump's life in Pennsylvania. The announcement came after thousands of interviews across the globe, tracking down any potential connections with the 20-year-old shooter.

Running parallel with online radicalization concerns are domestic terrorism risks.

A 2023 U.S. Government Accountability Office study showed all but eight states experienced one or more incidents between 2010 and 2021. During the same period, investigations into domestic terrorism incidents have increased by 357%.

"Radicalization is both a mental health issue and a social issue," Pinsky said. "Young men need their peers, they need outlets, they need to be engaged. And left in a room alone, only bad things can happen."

Don't miss the chance to uncover the disturbing mentality of Crooks, Mangione, Robinson and others in "Radicalized: with Sean Hannity," streaming now exclusively on Fox Nation.

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Disgruntled worker invokes Luigi Mangione in $500M warehouse inferno he filmed in anti-capitalist rage: feds

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:00:34 -0400

A disgruntled Inland Empire employee accused of causing $500 million in damage invoked Luigi Mangione as he filmed himself torching a warehouse as he railed against wages, authorities said.

Chamel Abdulkarim, 29, of Highland, California, is charged with deliberately setting the April 7 inferno that destroyed a 1.2 million-square-foot Kimberly-Clark distribution center in Ontario. He pleaded not guilty Monday to federal and state charges, authorities said.

According to a Department of Justice criminal complaint, Abdulkarim, who worked at the facility through a third-party logistics provider, filmed himself setting multiple pallets of paper goods on fire in the early morning hours.

In the video, he allegedly complained about wages, saying, "If you’re not going to pay us enough to [expletive] live… at least pay us enough not to do this," according to the DOJ affidavit.

MAN IN CUSTODY FOR ALLEGEDLY THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAILS INTO LA FEDERAL BUILDING, DOCS SHOW

Federal prosecutors say the flames quickly spread, collapsing the roof and leveling the entire facility, which stored household products like Kleenex and Cottonelle.

Investigators allege Abdulkarim later bragged about the destruction in texts and phone calls, including one message that read, "I just cost these [expletive] billions," while railing against corporate profits and shareholders.

In a separate call, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said Abdulkarim compared himself to Mangione — the suspect accused in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

"Luigi popped that mutherf---er," Abdulkarim said, according to the federal complaint, adding "a lot of people are going to understand."

Fox News contributor and former FBI special agent Nicole Parker told Fox News Digital that Abdulkarim seems to have used similar tactics as Mangione, calling it the "Luigi effect."

"Luigi garnered a substantial amount of attention and empathy from many because of his ‘cause’ as a justification for his grievance," she said. "Several are now copying him to one degree or another in an effort to gain that same level of attention and hero status."

Abdulkarim "believes he was speaking and acting out on behalf of the American people" as he ranted about workers being paid enough to live.

"Chamel was proud to have cost over $1 billion to the company," Parker said. "It is a troubling time in our society when offenders will go to all lengths no matter how destructive or evil to prove a point for their cause.

"I refer to it as the ‘Luigi effect’ where offenders have learned to focus attention on their grievance through violence due to the sensationalization from online platforms and social media. Law enforcement and specifically the FBI will be digging into his behaviors and what led him down the path to violence. Turning to violence to settle a grievance is never the answer. He chose to carry out these awful crimes, but he will not choose the consequence."

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Prosecutors allege Abdulkarim acted "willfully, maliciously, and with premeditation" when he set the fire, conduct they say was carried out under circumstances likely to cause injury and massive property destruction, according to a San Bernardino County felony complaint.

The complaint charges him with aggravated arson, a top-tier felony, along with multiple additional counts of arson of a structure tied to the same blaze.

Authorities say the fire caused losses far exceeding $10 million, a key threshold that elevates the severity of the charge, while federal officials estimate total damage at roughly $500 million.

MASSIVE SIX-ALARM BLAZE ENGULFS CALIFORNIA WAREHOUSE, EMPLOYEE DETAINED

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"America is founded on free enterprise and capitalism… Anyone who attacks our values, our way of life, our system… we’re gonna come after aggressively," Essayli said.

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Abdulkarim was arrested about two miles from the scene shortly after the fire broke out. Roughly 175 firefighters responded to the six-alarm blaze, which is considered one of the most destructive warehouse fires in the region. No injuries were reported.

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San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson blasted the alleged crime, calling arson "a real head-scratcher" and warning it puts lives, jobs and commerce at risk.

"I do not understand somebody… to displace people from their jobs, to ruin commerce, to get in the way of labor, to put people in physical harm," Anderson said.

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Abdulkarim is charged federally with arson of a building used in interstate and foreign commerce and faces multiple state felony counts that could significantly increase his prison exposure.

If convicted on the federal charge alone, he would face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Prosecutors have also signaled the case involves aggravating factors, including the scale of destruction and potential danger to others.

Luigi Mangione's federal trial stays on track as judge rejects defense push for delay

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:03:47 -0400

The judge overseeing Luigi Mangione's case in state court moved that trial date from June 8 to Sept. 8 on Wednesday, the latest potential conflict between the state and federal cases against the accused Ivy League assassin.

Mangione will be back in state court on May 18 for a decision on motions to suppress evidence and statements he made to police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he was arrested.

He appeared in federal court earlier on Wednesday, when the judge overseeing Mangione's federal case shrugged off his defense team's push to have that trial delayed, saying she doesn't want to be "held hostage" by the schedule of a state court judge handling another case against him.

Jury selection for Mangione's federal trial is expected to begin in October, but that could potentially be affected by his Judge Gregory Carro's decision to push the state trial from June to October.

MANGIONE'S LAWYERS MAKE SECOND TRY TO TOSS MURDER WEAPON EVIDENCE IN NEW YORK STATE COURT

U.S. Marshals escorted Mangione into the federal courtroom at 11:24 a.m. Wednesday. He wore a tan jail jumpsuit with his sleeves rolled up, leg shackles and no handcuffs.

The judge entered a minute later.

Karen Friedman Agnifilo, one of Mangione's lead defense lawyers, asked for several months of extra time, saying Mangione's legal team needed to prepare for the federal case after his state trial.

"I don't think what we're asking for is unreasonable," she said.

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Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Gentile argued that the defense’s logistical concerns could be addressed by changing the jury questionnaire schedule, which was set for a capital case. Mangione no longer faces the potential death penalty.

He added that both cases are expected to rely on the same facts and witnesses.

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Judge Margaret Garnett said she was more concerned about the jury selection process rather than trial prep — telling the parties she doesn't envision a particularly complex proceeding.

She said her role is to ensure Mangione gets a fair trial in her courtroom, and she said whatever happens in the state case is not her concern.

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Mangione faces numerous charges at the state and federal level in connection with the December 2024 assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two from Minnesota who was in New York City for a work conference when a gunman snuck up behind him and opened fire.

The state trial, scheduled to take place before his federal trial, is expected to garner massive public attention and make jury selection more difficult, she explained.

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"I'm a little troubled," she said.

After a roughly 30-minute hearing, she proposed keeping close to the schedule put forth in February, with jury selection in the fall and opening statements on Oct. 26 or Nov. 2.

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The federal hearing came just under a month after Carro told Mangione's defense to be ready for the state trial on June 8. Before his order pushing back the trial on Wednesday, he had floated the idea of delaying it only if the federal trial was delayed first.

Bailiffs escorted Mangione out of that hearing after an unexpected outburst in which he claimed to be the victim of double jeopardy.

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"It’s the same trial twice," he said. "One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any common sense."

Both courts have dismissed the most severe counts, but Mangione still faces life in prison if convicted. He also faces lesser charges in Pennsylvania, where police arrested him in a McDonald's restaurant, in connection with the case.

Mangione's lawyers make second try to toss murder weapon evidence in New York state court

Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:55:04 -0400

Despite losing a similar argument in federal court at the end of January, accused CEO assassin Luigi Mangione's defense team is again vying to have damning evidence from his backpack suppressed in a New York state court.

Prosecutors have said police recovered the suspected murder weapon and a manifesto railing against the health insurance industry in the bag, and they've defended the search as proper.

Mangione, 27, is accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, on Dec. 4, 2024 — allegedly shooting him in the back outside a Manhattan hotel slated to host a shareholder conference later that morning.

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According to prosecutors, he skipped town and went to Altoona, Pennsylvania, before people in a McDonald's restaurant recognized him from a wanted poster and called 911.

It's the search of his bag that happened there after his arrest that the defense is calling into question, writing in court documents that New York search and seizure rules apply since that's where the case is headed to trial.

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Read the filing:

Authorities searched the bag multiple times after Mangione's arrest in the eight hours before obtaining a search warrant, defense lawyers wrote in a letter to Manhattan Judge Gregory Carro.

They have claimed that the bag search was inappropriate because it was no longer in Mangione's "possession" once he was arrested and that the claim that they were looking for potentially dangerous material, like a bomb, was a false pretext.

"The totality of the circumstances demonstrates that the officers' claim about a bomb was a blatantly false and pretextual justification for conducting an evidentiary search," wrote defense lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo.

And they argued that police did not write down non-evidentiary items in the bag when filling out an inventory and alleged that police improperly read Mangione's journals before they obtained a search warrant.

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"[Altoona Police] Sergeant Heuston did not happen to 'notice' Mr. Mangione's writings; he purposefully read through the journal looking for incriminating writings, photographed what he deemed to be incriminating writings and forwarded them to the NYPD," the filing reads.

Since the first responding officer testified that he recognized Mangione from the NYPD's highly publicized wanted poster and Altoona police soon were in contact with their NYPD counterparts, Mangione's defense argued that police should have known their handling of the case would be subject to New York law.

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They have also argued that additional searches at the police precinct building were also improper.

The defense alleges that one officer was motivated "to get credit for finding the alleged murder weapon in a case that had captivated the country for nearly five days" and made sure her body camera audio was working before opening the compartment where she found a gun.

Although Mangione faces serious charges in the alleged assassination, his legal team has won a string of victories in both state and federal courts — having the top charges in each case thrown out. As a result, if convicted of the top remaining charges, he would not face the potential death penalty federally or life in prison without the possibility of parole in New York.

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In Mangione's federal case, which is a separate legal proceeding, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett ruled that the backpack evidence could stand in his federal trial in a Jan. 30 order, while also dealing a blow to the prosecution and taking the death penalty off the table.

He may lose one of his high-powered lawyers in that case after the victory. Garnett has asked whether taxpayer funding for attorney Avi Moskowitz, an expert death penalty defense lawyer, is still necessary. Federal prosecutors declined to take a position on the issue, and the defense filed an ex parte letter under seal.

Both trials are slated to begin later this year, but it's not clear whether the scheduling is realistic.

Thompson, a father of two from Minnesota, had come to New York City to meet with Wall Street investors. Surveillance video shows the last moments of his life — when a gunman approached him from behind on the sidewalk and opened fire.

Carro is expected to announce his ruling on the motion to suppress on May 18, which is also the date of Mangione's next scheduled hearing at the state level.

Luigi Mangione seeks to gut key evidence as prosecutors defend McDonald's search

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 17:04:33 -0500

Prosecutors in Luigi Mangione’s state trial are defending the search of his backpack and urging a judge to allow the evidence in his upcoming murder trial, despite the defense arguing the search was unconstitutional.

Prosecutors argued that Mangione’s bid to suppress evidence taken from his backpack and specific statements he made to police should be denied by the court because Pennsylvania authorities acted "reasonably" during the search, according to court documents obtained by Fox News.

The filing comes after a three-week hearing in 2025, in which Mangione’s defense team argued the alleged murder weapon, handwritten notes and additional items seized from the accused killer’s backpack were inadmissible because they violated his constitutional rights.

LUIGI MANGIONE ESCAPES FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY AFTER FEDERAL PROSECUTORS DECLINE TO APPEAL JUDGE'S RULING

However, the Manhattan district attorney’s office is insisting the Altoona authorities "responded to this unexpected and alarming situation reasonably," when they searched Mangione’s backpack and arrested him inside the rural McDonald’s, according to the court filing.

LUIGI MANGIONE BATTLES TO BLOCK KEY EVIDENCE A YEAR AFTER CEO ASSASSINATION — EXPERTS SAY IT’S A 'LONG SHOT'

"Altoona officers obtained a search warrant for the backpack, thereby establishing an independent source for recovering the backpack's contents," assistant district attorney Joel Seidemann wrote.

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The prosecution also pointed to the defense’s claim that Altoona officers did not comply with New York’s search-and-seizure law, insisting that the Pennsylvania authorities were "unfamiliar" with the guidelines of another state.

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"Nor could they be expected to familiarize themselves with that body of law in advance of the defendant’s arrival, which they had no way of anticipating," Seidemann wrote.

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Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal charges stemming from the 2024 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan.

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He was arrested days later at an Altoona McDonald’s and extradited to New York City, where he remains in custody awaiting trial.

Judge Gregory Carro expects to issue a decision regarding the evidence by May 18, according to WABC.

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Mangione’s state trial is set to begin on June 8.

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Mangione's defense team did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Luigi Mangione musical set to make New York City debut in the summer

Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:57:00 -0500

"Luigi: The Musical," a musical based around UnitedHealthcare CEO murder suspect Luigi Mangione, will premiere in New York City this June.

The Green Room 24 will hold a staged reading of the musical on June 15 with the cast yet to be announced. This will be one year after the musical premiered to sold-out shows in San Francisco.

According to a press release, the musical was "inspired by the bizarre true story of three high-profile inmates (Luigi Mangione, Diddy and Sam Bankman Fried) who were all held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn at the same time."

LUIGI MANGIONE MUSICAL OPENING IN SAN FRANCISCO

The show's description claims that the musical doesn't "glorify violence," but "interrogates it" while also "examining how violence is not just the act of individuals, but of elite institutions—like healthcare, Hollywood, and tech—through their neglect, indifference, and lack of accountability."

The musical has also been criticized for being produced too quickly after the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and while Mangione continues to face legal proceedings.

In a comment to Fox News Digital, theater director Ben Rimalower stood by the decision to hold the show, saying there was "obviously demand" for the "hit" show.

WRITER WHO SPOKE TO LUIGI MANGIONE MONTHS BEFORE KILLING MENTIONED 'FRUSTRATIONS WITH US HEALTHCARE SYSTEM'

"We do shows that audiences want to see. There's obviously demand for this hit show, a smart, satirical take on the Luigi story. Much like an insurance company (or news outlet), we get to choose what we cover, and there was no way we were passing this one up. The first performance sold out overnight and we've already added two more shows. We look forward to extending as long as the audience wants," Rimalower said.

The musical's spokesperson, Kathryn Musilek, also confirmed that more dates may be added to the New York City production soon.

WHAT THESE JUDGES REALLY THINK ABOUT THE LUIGI MANGIONE OBSESSION

Mangione currently faces life in prison for second-degree murder, weapons possession and falsified identification charges in state court as well as two charges of stalking in federal court. He has pleaded not guilty to Thompson's killing and other charges.

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His state trial is scheduled for June while his federal trial is scheduled for September.

Luigi Mangione escapes federal death penalty after federal prosecutors decline to appeal judge's ruling

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:27:29 -0500

Luigi Mangione has escaped the death penalty.

The accused killer's life will be spared after federal prosecutors said Friday they will not appeal a judge's ruling to quash capital punishment against him.

In a letter, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District said it accepts U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett‘s Jan. 30 decision to dismiss a death penalty-eligible murder charge against Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson Dec. 4, 2024.

LUIGI MANGIONE APOLOGIZES FOR LOOKING 'SUSPICIOUS' IN NEWLY RELEASED BODY CAMERA ARREST FOOTAGE

Despite not being tried on murder charges, Mangione still faces two federal stalking charges.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Sept. 8. Opening statements will begin in October.

Mangione, 27, also faces life in prison at a separate murder trial in state court slated to begin in June. He has pleaded not guilty to Thompson's killing.

To charge Mangione with the federal count of murder through use of a gun, prosecutors need an underlying crime of violence, Garnett said in her January ruling.

POLICE SERGEANT DENIES HEARING LUIGI MANGIONE MOTHER'S ALLEGED DAMNING STATEMENT ABOUT CEO KILLING

Garnett wrote that she was bound by Supreme Court precedent.

"Over the course of the last two decades or so, the Supreme Court has embarked upon a legal journey, explained herein, that now requires lower courts to engage in an analysis totally divorced from the conduct at issue and centered on the hypothetically least serious conduct that the charged crime could possibly cover," she wrote.

Surveillance cameras recorded the slaying. Video footage showed Thompson walking down a Manhattan sidewalk outside a hotel when a gunman approached him from behind and opened fire.

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Thompson sustained multiple gunshot wounds and collapsed to the ground. The gunman fled and was later spotted making his way uptown on a bicycle.

Luigi Mangione complains of double jeopardy in courtroom outburst

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 12:20:07 -0500

Luigi Mangione complained about double jeopardy in a courtroom outburst on Friday about the prospect of back-to-back trials in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

As he was escorted out of a New York courtroom, he was heard saying, "It’s the same trial twice. One plus one is two. Double jeopardy by any common sense."

Prior to his outburst, Mangione was quietly sitting at the defense table throughout the proceedings.

MAN ALLEGEDLY TRIED BUSTING LUIGI MANGIONE OUT OF JAIL WITH BBQ FORK, PIZZA CUTTER WHILE POSING AS FBI AGENT

His attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, also complained on Friday that double jeopardy was being used as a "weapon" against her client.

The comment came after a brief hearing regarding the scheduling of his state and federal trials in the shooting death of Thompson.

Following a lengthy discussion with prosecutors and defense lawyers, Judge Gregory Carro said the state trial would be on June 8, but could be moved to Sept. 8 if an appeal delays the federal trial.

Agnifilo protested, saying her client was being put in an "untenable" situation and that the defense would not be ready on June 8.

"Mr. Mangione is being put in an untenable situation," Agnifilo said. "This is a tug-of-war between two different prosecution offices."

Despite the defense's assertion that it would not be ready for June 8, as they will be consumed with preparing for the federal trial, Judge Gregory Carro told Agnifilo, "You've done a great job. Be ready June 8."

MANGIONE, ROBINSON, REINER AND MORE: MAJOR COURT CASES SET TO DOMINATE 2026

The state trial was initially set to take place before the federal trial, something that the family of the late UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson had requested. Jury selection for the federal trial has been set for Sept. 8, which will be followed by opening statements and testimony on Oct. 13, according to The Associated Press.

"It appears the federal government has reneged on its agreement to let the state, which has done most of the work in this case, go first," Carro said Friday, the AP reported. The outlet noted that scheduling the state trial first could help the prosecution avoid double jeopardy issues.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges, which carry the possibility of a life sentence. He was facing a terrorism charge at the state level, but Carro threw out the charge in September.

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On Dec. 4, 2024, Mangione allegedly shot Thompson as he was walking into a midtown Manhattan hotel for a UnitedHealth Group conference. Surveillance video showed a masked gunman, who is believed to be Mangione, shooting him. Police said the words "delay," "deny" and "depose" were written on Mangione's ammunition, which the AP notes is close to a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Death penalty off the table for Luigi Mangione after judge agrees to dismiss federal murder charge

Fri, 30 Jan 2026 06:00:45 -0500

A federal judge in New York has agreed to dismiss federal murder charges against Luigi Mangione. This takes the potential death penalty off the table.

Lawyers for accused assassin Luigi Mangione had continued to bolster their legal arguments to have the most serious charges against him thrown out.

Judge Margaret Garnett conceded to some "absurdity" in her decision.

"The Court would be remiss not to note at the outset the apparent absurdity of the inquiry," she wrote. "The Defendant is charged with selecting a stranger to be killed based on his employment; carefully planning the killing, including identifying where and when the selected victim would be most vulnerable; traveling across multiple states to carry out that killing; and then gunning the victim down on a public street in midtown Manhattan, using a handgun equipped with a silencer. No one could seriously question that this is violent criminal conduct."

ALVIN BRAGG'S ‘UNREALISTIC' TIMELINE IN LUIGI MANGIONE CASE SETS UP SHOWDOWN WITH TRUMP DOJ

The ruling was one of two that came shortly before the 27-year-old was due back in court Friday morning for a status conference.

A separate motion to suppress evidence alleging police violated Mangione's constitutional rights with the search of his backpack was denied. According to investigators, the suspected murder weapon and a manifesto were in the bag.

The defendant arrived around 11:10 a.m. in a tan jail jumpsuit and without handcuffs. The hearing kicked off a few minutes later.

Prosecutors said they were not yet ready to make a decision on whether they planned to appeal the judge's decision. Much of the rest of the hearing focused on scheduling and questions about jury selection.

Read the judge's order:

Although oral arguments already took place, the defense aggressively argued in subsequent filings that prosecutors failed to allege an underlying "crime of violence" necessary for the top charge of murder through use of a firearm. That was the only charge Mangione faced that carried the potential death penalty.

Prosecutors countered in an opposition filing that the defense is relying on irrelevant precedent, but the judge disagreed.

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In order to charge Mangione with the federal charge of murder through use of a firearm, prosecutors need an underlying crime of violence. They have alleged that crime to be stalking. However, according to legal analysts, if stalking can be done without violence, even if it wasn't in the case alleged, the charge could fall apart.

Garnett wrote that she was bound by Supreme Court precedent.

JUDGE REVEALS EARLIEST POTENTIAL START TIMES FOR LUIGI MANGIONE'S FEDERAL MURDER TRIAL

Mangione is accused of stalking UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson before shooting him in the back outside a New York City hotel on the morning of a planned business conference.

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"It’s like a series of dominos — the only way that the federal government can get to a death penalty charge in their case is if the murder was committed during the course of a violent felony," Joshua Ritter, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney, previously told Fox News Digital. "And the reason that they need that is because they need what’s called a federal hook to get them federal jurisdiction."

Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two from Minnesota, had come to the Big Apple to meet with Wall Street investors.

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Surveillance cameras recorded the slaying. Video shows Thompson walking down the sidewalk outside the hotel when a man approaches from behind and opens fire.

Thompson suffered multiple gunshot wounds and collapsed to the ground. The gunman fled and was later spotted making his way uptown on a bicycle. There was at least one eyewitness, who appeared to be unharmed.

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Police arrested Mangione five days later at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where customers and staff said they recognized him from a wanted poster released in connection with Thompson's murder.

Police said they found the suspected murder weapon and handwritten notes that were critical of the health insurance industry and may indicate Mangione's alleged planning and a motive.

Jury selection is scheduled for Sept. 8, with a trial expected to kick off on Oct. 13.

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Separately, Manhattan prosecutors have requested a July 1 start date for Mangione's state trial, which his lawyers have objected to as "unrealistic."

In a letter to New York Judge Gregory Carro Wednesday, Assistant Manhattan DA Joel Seidemann wrote that the state has an interest, protected by federal law, in taking Mangione to trial first.

"That case is none of my concern," Judge Garnett told the parties in court Firday.

This is a breaking news story. Stick with Fox News Digital for updates.

Man allegedly tried busting Luigi Mangione out of jail with BBQ fork, pizza cutter while posing as FBI agent

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 16:49:14 -0500

A Minnesota man armed with a BBQ fork and a pizza cutter was arrested at a Brooklyn jail Wednesday after allegedly impersonating an FBI agent in an attempt to bust high-profile inmate Luigi Mangione out of custody.

According to a criminal complaint filed in the Eastern District of New York, Mark Anderson was arrested at the Metropolitan Detention Center after claiming he had a court order authorizing an inmate’s release.

While the complaint does not name the inmate Anderson sought to free, a law enforcement source told Fox News it was Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.

At about 6:50 p.m., Anderson allegedly approached the intake area and told uniformed Bureau of Prisons officers he was an FBI agent carrying paperwork "signed by a judge."

911 CALL FOR LUIGI MANGIONE'S ARREST IN MCDONALD'S RELEASED: 'HE LOOKS LIKE THE CEO SHOOTER'

When asked for federal credentials, Anderson reportedly presented his Minnesota driver’s license, claimed he was carrying weapons, and threw a stack of documents at officers that an FBI agent described as legal claims against the U.S. Department of Justice.

Officers detained Anderson on the spot and searched his backpack, where they found a large barbecue-type fork and a pizza cutter.

NYC PROSECUTORS SHARE EVIDENCE PHOTOS REVEALING LUIGI MANGIONE'S POSSESSIONS AT TIME OF ARREST

The New York City Police Department and FBI later responded, and Anderson was taken into federal custody.

Authorities said no inmate was released, and the incident did not disrupt facility operations.

LUIGI MANGIONE JUDGE SUMMONS PENNSYLVANIA COP TO COURT TO TESTIFY ON BACKPACK SEARCH

Anderson is charged with impersonating a federal officer, a felony that carries a potential sentence of up to three years in prison.

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Mangione has been held at the MDC since his arrest in connection with the fatal shooting of Thompson, a killing that drew national attention and intensified scrutiny around executive security. He remains in custody as the case proceeds.

Alvin Bragg’s ‘unrealistic’ timeline in Luigi Mangione case sets up showdown with Trump DOJ

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:10:37 -0500

A lawyer for the accused assassin Luigi Mangione called the Manhattan District Attorney's Office's proposed trial date "unrealistic" as the former Ivy Leaguer's legal team prepares for a parallel trial in federal court.

"This is the first time that the defense is hearing about this request," Karen Friedman Agnifilo said in a statement Wednesday evening, after court filings revealed Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's office had requested a start date of July 1.

"The federal government already has a firm trial date set in September," she said. "As a practical matter, Mr. Mangione's defense team will require the remainder of the year to prepare for that trial. We will respond to the court about this unrealistic request in the coming days."

JUDGE REVEALS EARLIEST POTENTIAL START TIMES FOR LUIGI MANGIONE'S FEDERAL MURDER TRIAL

U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett tentatively set federal jury selection for Sept. 8, with the trial to start either in the fall or winter, depending on how she rules on a defense motion to dismiss the two most serious charges.

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If the defense succeeds in dismissing the most serious charge, murder through use of a firearm, the potential death penalty would be removed, and the trial would begin earlier.

Assistant Manhattan District Attorney Joel Seidemann called the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson a "cold-blooded execution" in a letter to New York Judge Gregory Carro Wednesday.

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Read the letter:

Seidemann wrote that it was the NYPD that led the investigation, that Mangione was first indicted by a state judge and that federal prosecutors did not become involved until after the suspect had been arrested.

He said the state has an interest in taking Mangione to trial before the feds do.

POLICE SERGEANT DENIES HEARING LUIGI MANGIONE MOTHER'S ALLEGED DAMNING STATEMENT ABOUT CEO KILLING

"In sum, the state has an overriding interest in trying this defendant for the cold-blooded execution of Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024," he wrote. "It resulted in the tragic death of a guest to our city on our streets. Federal law supports our request that we proceed first, and our right to a speedy resolution of this case would be severely compromised should the federal trial proceed first."

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, which is handling Mangione's federal case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the July 1 request.

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Mangione faces a stiffer potential sentence at the federal level if convicted. In New York, Judge Carro already gave Bragg's office a blow when he dismissed terrorism charges that would have carried a maximum sentence of life without parole.

If Mangione were convicted of second-degree murder in New York, parole would be on the table.

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He also faces lesser charges in Pennsylvania, where police arrested him days after Thompson's murder in New York City.

Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two, lived in Minnesota and came to the Big Apple for a business conference with Wall Street investors. Surveillance video shows a hooded gunman approach him from behind outside the host hotel and shoot him multiple times in the back.

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Federally, Mangione faces charges including interstate stalking and murder through use of a firearm.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Fox News' Maria Paronich contributed to this report.

Gunfire, arson and vandalism: Tracking political violence in America

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Assassination attempts, arson attacks and targeted shootings have scarred American politics over the past three years.

President Donald Trump survived two incidents. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was unharmed after a madman lit his house on fire. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson died after a gunman shot him in the back on a Manhattan sidewalk. A sniper killed Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk during a public speaking event. Even state-level officials have been gunned down in their own homes.

Experts warn that political violence and tolerance for it are on the rise, even with the murder rate falling to a 125-year low in 2025. And victims have been on both sides of the political spectrum.

Here's a recap of events.

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July 13, 2024 — Trump rally shooting

Thomas Crooks, a 20-year-old Pennsylvanian, opened fire from a rooftop overlooking a campaign rally for President Donald Trump in Butler, a rural area near Pittsburgh.

A bullet grazed Trump's ear. Two members of the audience survived gunshot wounds and one man, a 50-year-old firefighter and father of two named Corey Comperatore, died.

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"Corey died a hero," Shapiro told reporters after speaking with Comperatore's wife Helen. "Corey dove on his family to protect them."

Authorities have released few details about Crooks and his motive. He died when counter-snipers returned fire.

"As the survivor of two assassination attempts — and recently watching his dear friend Charlie be assassinated — no one understands the dangers of political violence more than President Trump," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital last week. "That’s why, following Charlie’s assassination, President Trump delivered powerful and unifying remarks urging all Americans to ‘commit themselves to the American values for which Charlie Kirk lived and died. The values of free speech, citizenship, the rule of law, and the patriotic devotion and love of God.’"

Sept. 15, 2024 — Sniper captured outside Trump golf course

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Police arrested a 58-year-old man after U.S. Secret Service agents spotted a rifle barrel poking through the brush on the edge of Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, while Trump was playing a round.

Jurors found Ryan Wesley Routh, now 59, guilty in September. He has not yet been sentenced but could receive life in prison.

No one was injured during this incident.

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH STUDENT CHARGED WITH MAKING GUN GESTURES, THREATENING TO SHOOT CONSERVATIVE DEBATERS

Dec. 4, 2024 — The assassination of UnitedHealthcare's CEO

Brian Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two from Minnesota, was the CEO of one of the country's largest health insurers.

A gunman approached him from behind outside a New York City hotel and shot him repeatedly in the back, killing him on the sidewalk.

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Suspect Luigi Mangione has pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges in the case. State and federal trials are not expected to begin until late fall 2026 at the earliest.

According to investigators, they allegedly found journals in which he discussed the thought process going into the slaying and criticized the health insurance industry.

Mangione is accused of "meticulously" planning the murder with the motive of igniting a "public discussion about the healthcare industry," per the Justice Department.

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April 13, 2025 — Arson attack on Gov. Shapiro

An arsonist set off a fire at the Pennsylvania governor's residence while Shapiro and his family were asleep inside.

The attack happened around 2 a.m. on the first night of Passover. The Shapiros are Jewish.

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Cody Balmer, 39, has since pleaded guilty in connection with the fire and received a sentence of 25 to 50 years in prison.

Surveillance video shows he broke a window with a sledgehammer and threw a Molotov cocktail inside. Then he broke in through another window and threw another firebomb into the dining room but failed to break through a door that led to the bedrooms.

May 21, 2025 — Antisemitic shooting in DC

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A gunman opened fire outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., killing a young couple — both victims being employees of the Israeli Embassy.

The suspect, a 31-year-old pro-Palestinian agitator and far-left activist from Chicago named Elias Rodriguez, has pleaded not guilty. A trial date has not yet been set.

June 14, 2025 — Attacks on Minnesota lawmakers

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Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband were killed in their home in Brooklyn Park, a suburb of Minneapolis.

State Sen. John Hoffman, another Democrat, and his wife were both shot nearby in Champlin. They survived.

A single suspect has been charged with both attacks, 58-year-old Vance Boelter. He pleaded not guilty and is due back in a federal court in Minneapolis on Feb. 20.

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Sept. 10, 2025 — The assassination of Charlie Kirk

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, was delivering public remarks at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, when a sniper's bullet pierced his neck.

He died as his security team rushed him to a nearby hospital.

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The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, has pleaded not guilty and is due in court on Feb. 3 for the second day of a hearing on his defense team's motion to have the prosecutor's office kicked off the case.

Court documents have revealed text exchanges between Robinson and his trans lover that appear to show an opposition to Kirk's conservative views motivated the crime.

"I had enough of his hatred," Robinson allegedly wrote.

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October 2025 — Alleged Border Patrol murder-for-hire plot

U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was allegedly the target of a $10,000 murder-for-hire plot that failed to materialize, according to federal prosecutors.

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Last week, jurors delivered a not guilty verdict for the man accused of orchestrating it, 37-year-old Juan Espinoza Martinez.

Espinoza Martinez, who is not a U.S. citizen, was accused of offering $10,000 for Bovino's slaying over Snapchat after an ex-con business acquaintance and federal informant shared the post with investigators.

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Jan. 6, 2026 — Vandalism at the Vance home

A 26-year-old Ohio man has been accused of vandalizing the Cincinnati home of Vice President JD Vance.

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The suspect, William DeFoor, has a history of vandalism charges and mental illness, according to authorities.

"I appreciate everyone's well wishes about the attack at our home," Vance wrote on X. "As far as I can tell, a crazy person tried to break in by hammering the windows."

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His family was in Washington, D.C., at the time, he added.

Fox News' Rachel Wolf, Stepheny Price and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Judge orders Altoona cop to court as Mangione hopes to have backpack search tossed

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 06:00:31 -0500

A police leader from Altoona, Pennsylvania, testified Friday about his department's protocols on handling the personal property of an arrested suspect as accused assassin Luigi Mangione hoped to have evidence thrown out of the federal case against him.

After about 45 minutes of testimony from Altoona's Deputy Police Chief Nathan Snyder, the hearing ended without a ruling from Judge Margaret Garnett.

Snyder testified about policies and procedures regarding searches and seizures in general terms. He was not involved in Mangione's arrest and was out of town at the time. He said the requirements discussed in court were also in place during Mangione's arrest in December 2024.

It's routine to search the belongings of an arrested person and keep an inventory of their belongings, he said. Policy requires the department to keep track of all of their property.

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When police arrested Mangione five days after the ambush murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, prosecutors said they found anti-insurance industry writings in his backpack along with the suspected murder weapon and other evidence.

The defense has argued that the search happened without a warrant and therefore the evidence shouldn't be allowed at trial.

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Customers and staff at an Altoona McDonald's spotted Mangione days later eating breakfast and called police, leading to his arrest.

Mangione's lawyers have taken issue with the search of his belongings, which they say happened without a warrant.

They raised similar concerns in a New York state court, leading to testimony from a number of Altoona officers, the McDonald's manager and additional witnesses.

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The state judge has not yet issued a ruling either.

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Prosecutors say police did nothing wrong and maintain that the evidence would have been found inevitably since the bag was with Mangione when he was arrested.

Judge Garnett had ordered Altoona police to send someone in person after oral arguments on the defense motion to suppress evidence from Mangione's backpack. She said it did not have to be an officer involved in the arrest.

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The government was also ordered to provide her with a copy of the affidavit in support of the federal search warrant.

The New York City shooting happened in front of a surveillance camera, and police released other surveillance images in a wanted poster amid a nationwide manhunt.

In a separate effort, the defense is vying to have the top federal charges against Mangione thrown out — which would spare him from facing the death penalty if convicted of the remaining charges.

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In order for the murder charge to fall under federal jurisdiction, prosecutors need to show an underlying "crime of violence" was committed. They are alleging that was the stalking of Thompson across state lines before his murder.

The father of two lived and worked in Minnesota and traveled to New York for a business conference. He was shot outside the hotel where it was supposed to be held.

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Following oral arguments on the issue, Mangione's lawyers sent the judge a letter citing a Ninth Circuit decision that happened days later in United States v. Gomez. The appellate court found that a California law on assault with a deadly weapon does not meet the "crime of violence" threshold due to legal technicalities.

"It’s like a series of dominos — the only way that the federal government can get to a death penalty charge in their case is if the murder was committed during the course of a violent felony," said Joshua Ritter, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney and Fox News contributor. "And the reason that they need that is because they need what’s called a federal hook to get them federal jurisdiction. So the way that they get that hook is through the stalking."

'Assassination culture' is on the rise, especially among women, study warns

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 06:00:54 -0500

"Assassination culture," or public tolerance of politically motivated violence, is increasing in the United States after a year of alarming bloodshed, according to a new nonprobability-based national survey — especially among women.

Researchers also said they found that high usage of social media and growing pessimism about the country’s future may be eroding basic civility.

"I thought we'd be seeing a bunch of guys who were unemployed who'd be endorsing this," said Joel Finkelstein, director of the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI), which studies emerging threats to national security, civics and American youth online.

The NCRI has been studying the topic of assassination culture since before the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who shared an earlier report by the group warning of the rise of the phenomenon months before his own death, in the wake of two failed attacks on President Donald Trump.

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"As the survivor of two assassination attempts — and recently watching his dear friend Charlie be assassinated — no one understands the dangers of political violence more than President Trump," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Fox News Digital. "That’s why, following Charlie’s assassination, President Trump delivered powerful and unifying remarks urging all Americans to ‘commit themselves to the American values for which Charlie Kirk lived and died. The values of free speech, citizenship, the rule of law, and the patriotic devotion and love of God.’"

The message seemingly failed to resonate with an alarming portion of the country. Finkelstein said the research found three surprising things in common with people most likely to condone political violence.

"I thought we were looking for unemployed men and young men, and that's not what we're seeing," Finkelstein told Fox News Digital.

They spend a lot of time on social media. They believe the United States is "an empire in decline." And they are more likely to be female.

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"We see these lurid images of Luigi Mangione that have been packaged into some kind of sexual symbol," Finkelstein said. "And I think that we may be seeing some downstream effects of that on people who use social media a lot, on females."

Later, he added, "It's like Che Guevara."

Mangione is accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. He has pleaded not guilty and has not yet gone to trial.

Thompson's murder came after two failed attempts on President Donald Trump. Months later, Kirk suffered a fatal gunshot wound during a speaking event in Utah.

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While the study found support for the violence was higher among women, the suspect in each of those cases was male.

"In general, violence is down...especially murders," Finkelstein said. "They're down, but what's really interesting is that political violence is up."

By the numbers:

Researchers asked more than 1,000 respondents nationwide on a scale of zero to six about two high-profile political figures, Trump and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

The study looked into tolerance for violence, not intent to commit it.

For questions about the justification of political violence, a score of zero meant that the participant considered the political violence completely unjustified. Anything higher than zero meant the respondent believed there was at least some justification. A score of six meant the respondent thought political violence was "completely justified."

According to NCRI, 67% of left-of-center respondents saw murder as justified, compared to 54% on the right. A year ago, left-of-center support was 56%. Women overall were about 15% more likely to support assassination culture, 14.8% for Trump and 21.2% for Mamdani.

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While support for assassination culture is on the rise on both sides of the political spectrum and across both genders, the study found it is especially pronounced on the left, and among women of any ideology.

"It's still more pronounced on the left in our data," Finkelstein told Fox News Digital. "That's really clear, but it's growing on the right."

Older respondents across the board were less likely to condone political assassination. The group least likely to approve of it is conservative males. The most likely, by about 75%, are liberal women, Finkelstein said.

In response to the survey results, the White House called for an end to violent rhetoric, particularly in how the far-left talks about conservatives.

"President Trump, and the entire Administration, will not hesitate to speak the truth — for years, radical leftists have slandered their political opponents as Nazis and Fascists, inspiring left-wing violence," Jackson said. "It must end."

Mamdani's office did not respond to a request for comment on the study.

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Finkelstein said that those who expressed tolerance for violence against one's political opponents were also more likely to accept political violence against their own side.

"It's a spiritual crisis about the belief in democracy," Finkelstein said.

He warned that culturally, young people may be spending too much time on social media, leading to dangerous results.

"Taken together, I think that the findings suggest that this is a moral, this is a spiritual crisis — it's not a partisan one," he added. "And we need to treat it that way. That means we need people coming together to talk about the fissures that are showing up in our national family."

Luigi Mangione case: If stalking and assault aren’t ‘crimes of violence,’ death penalty vanishes

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:44:42 -0500

Luigi Mangione's fate could hinge on a legal technicality as his defense team argues that a recent federal court decision could potentially pull the rug out from under the Justice Department's murder charge.

In the new filing, Mangione's lawyers cited the Ninth Circuit's Jan. 13 decision in United States v. Gomez — which found that a California law on assault with a deadly weapon does not meet the "crime of violence" threshold due to legal technicalities. The panel found that armed assaults can be committed recklessly, meaning the defendant should have known the act carried a risk of danger, not just purposefully, meaning the defendant intended to harm the victim.

In Mangione's case, the underlying alleged "crime of violence" is stalking.

"It’s like a series of dominos — the only way that the federal government can get to a death penalty charge in their case is if the murder was committed during the course of a violent felony," said Joshua Ritter, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney and Fox News contributor. "And the reason that they need that is because they need what’s called a federal hook to get them federal jurisdiction. So the way that they get that hook is through the stalking."

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Mangione is accused of stalking UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson across state lines, then gunning him down outside a New York hotel hours before he was supposed to meet with company shareholders for a business conference.

While in this case the alleged stalking did lead to violence, Ritter said that the defense only needs to convince that court that the crime of stalking as a whole can sometimes be committed without violence in order for the legal argument to work.

"He's got a hell of a defense team, and they're making some very interesting arguments," he told Fox News Digital.

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The defense told the New York judge that the Gomez decision supports dismissing the murder charge because the underlying stalking allegation does not meet the definition of a "crime of violence."

The Ninth Circuit's en banc decision isn't binding in the Southern District of New York, where Mangione faces federal charges, said Donna Rotunno, a Chicago-based criminal defense attorney and Fox News contributor.

"[The defense] will argue that it doesn’t matter, that stalking doesn’t necessarily mean it will lead to murder, therefore it should not be used to enhance the murder charge for purposes of federal court and the death penalty," Rotunno said.

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Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two, lived in Minnesota. Video shows a gunman approach him from behind and open fire before fleeing the scene.

Without an underlying violent crime, the federal murder charge that depends on it should be thrown out entirely — and the potential death penalty with it, according to Mangione's lawyers.

According to the prosecution, the reason for the stalking was to allegedly carry out a politically motivated assassination.

"No other purpose," Rotunno said.

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The Ninth Circuit has a reputation for being one of the country's most liberal federal appellate courts, and many of its decisions reach the Supreme Court, according to legal experts. The Gomez decision came down days after Mangione's lawyers and federal prosecutors squared off in court to deliver oral arguments on the issue. His team filed a supplemental brief hoping to add weight to their arguments.

It's unclear how the judge will rule, but other legal experts are skeptical.

"They are the most liberal circuit court in the land," said David Gelman, a Philadelphia-area defense attorney. "They also have the highest overturn rate out of all the circuits."

The filing may be a stretch, he said.

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"The argument literally is backwards," he told Fox News Digital. "You don’t stalk someone and say, 'Oh, hey, I’m just having fun.' You stalk someone with the intent to harm."

Mangione is due back in federal court on Friday. He also faces state-level charges in New York and Pennsylvania in connection with the case.

Luigi Mangione judge summons Pennsylvania cop to court to testify on backpack search

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 11:56:03 -0500

In an about-face on Monday, a federal judge has decided to hold an evidentiary hearing to determine if Luigi Mangione’s backpack was lawfully seized and searched inside an Altoona, Pennsylvania, McDonald’s during his arrest.

Judge Margaret Garnett wrote in a court order that she considered "both the arguments made by counsel" during Friday’s hearing and "the seriousness of the charges the Defendant is facing" before walking back her previous decision, deeming the hearing unnecessary.

The hearing is expected to include testimony from an Altoona police officer regarding the department’s procedures "for securing, safeguarding [and] inventorying the personal property of a person arrested in a public place."

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However, the judge clarified that the witness chosen by the prosecution was not required to be one of the officers involved in Mangione’s arrest, while adding the short hearing will likely take place within the next two weeks.

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The move comes after several Altoona officers testified in state court regarding Mangione’s request to exclude evidence seized by police during his arrest, including a backpack carrying the alleged murder weapon.

His lawyers are also asking the judge to eliminate the same items from his federal case.

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On Friday, Mangione’s defense team asked the court to bar the government from making his federal trial a capital case.

Mangione’s federal case is expected to go to trial in December – or possibly January 2027 – if the death penalty remains on the table. If not, the judge said Friday that Mangione could stand trial as early as October.

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No trial date has been set in Mangione’s state murder case, which is expected to be first.

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Mangione is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York City sidewalk in 2024. He has pleaded not guilty in both courts.

Why political assassination cases aren't automatically death penalty eligible

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 06:00:38 -0500

The alleged assassination plots tied to Luigi Mangione and Tyler Robinson were chillingly deliberate, prosecutors say, yet both cases stumbled over the same unexpected hurdle — U.S. law doesn’t offer a clear path to the top penalty when there is a political motive, but the victim doesn't come from a protected category.

Mangione, 27, is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan on Dec. 4, 2024. He allegedly wrote political messages on shell casings recovered from the scene.

Months later, Robinson, 22, was accused of sniping Charlie Kirk as he spoke to a crowd at Utah Valley University in September, and, in an alleged copycat twist, also left behind casings with messages engraved in them.

Thompson, 50, and Kirk, 31, were both married fathers of two. Both of their murders have an alleged political motive. Yet prosecutors in each case have been forced to get creative with how they charged them in order to seek the maximum possible punishments — life without parole in New York and execution in Utah.

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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office had charged Mangione with terrorism enhancements in order to justify a first-degree murder charge under state law, which could have been punished with a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The judge threw that charge out, and Mangione faces a second-degree murder charge, which has a maximum penalty of life in prison with the possibility of parole remaining.

While New York has a state-level terror charge, Utah doesn't.

"Interestingly, had [Robinson] been charged in federal court, it would’ve been a terrorist act, committing an act of political terror — but in the state system they don’t have that same statute in charge, so they brought the murder case," said Greg Rogers, a UVU professor and former FBI agent. "It wasn’t that they didn’t believe they could prove a terrorism case in that matter, it was just that it was gonna be charged in state court rather than federal."

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The New York judge overseeing Mangione's case "made a grievous error," he told Fox News Digital.

"They did charge terrorism, because they're actually convinced they could prove it," he said. "Terrorism statutes are, and this isn’t an oversimplification, if you commit a homicide in furtherance of a political motive, which he allegedly did, that satisfies that statute."

"You essentially have a confession in the terrorism case, and in the homicide case you have it on video," he said. "[But] tens of thousands of people not only aren’t even upset with him, they're totally supportive."

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He cited the alleged journals Mangione kept, which referenced the plot and a potential motive as a condemnation of the U.S. health insurance industry — and also Mangione's fervent supporters, who have showed up to his court hearings dressed up in green as a reference to the Luigi character from "Super Mario Bros."

"How did we get to where tens of thousands of our citizens think this is great?" he added.

In Utah, in order to seek the death penalty, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray's office charged Robinson with aggravated murder, alleging that he knowingly created a great risk of death to people in the crowd in addition to Kirk's slaying. That's an aggravating factor under Utah law.

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But legal experts say that only a single shot was fired, which the defense is likely to use to challenge that aspect of the case.

"The death penalty was essentially outlawed back in 1972 when the Supreme Court thought that it was being applied arbitrarily," said Matt Mangino, a former district attorney of Lawrence County in Pennsylvania who wrote a book on capital punishment, "The Executioner's Toll, 2010."

To do that, he said, states implemented "bifurcated trials," where jurors decide on life or death after a conviction, and by creating the system of aggravating factors.

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While the laws vary between states, aggravators often include targeting police officers, politicians, witnesses or young children. In Idaho, the aggravator prosecutors wanted to use against Bryan Kohberger was that he killed multiple people — but he pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty.

"It's no longer just enough to have a planned premeditated murder to be subject to the death sentence," Mangino told Fox News Digital. "There has to be something more."

Business leaders, like Thompson, or political figures who aren't office holders, like Kirk, don't meet those criteria, even if there's an alleged political motive, he said. And premeditated, cold-blooded murders are not uncommon.

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"I think what we have to look at is, what does assassination mean? Does assassination mean that you've murdered somebody for some political purpose?" he said. "And that might be hard to really define in a way that it's fair."

Existing aggravators are easy to define, he said: a member of Congress, a young child, a witness expected to testify in an upcoming case.

"How do you define someone who doesn't fit into those specific categories that is outspoken about LGBT issues or is outspoken about immigration, how do you evaluate that?" he said. "I mean how famous do you have to be?"

Kirk was famous as a media personality and political commentator who founded Turning Point USA. Thompson was not a household name before his murder.

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Without a clear definition for the crime of assassination, he said, prosecutors are left stretching existing laws — and risking reversals.

"I think you also open the door to the defense coming after you and saying, wait a second, why is my guy getting the death penalty under the aggravated circumstances of assassination when other people who are killed because they're politically motivated aren't getting it?" he added. "It opens the door on both ends, both to victims' families feeling as though they are not getting justice and defendants feeling as if they are being overcharged."

Mangione could still face the potential death penalty if he is convicted of pending federal charges related to Thompson's slaying.