Judge Dismisses Terrorism Charges in State Case Against Luigi Mangione
NEW YORK — A judge in Manhattan has dismissed two state level terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the 27 year old accused in the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Yet the ruling leaves intact a second degree murder charge and multiple weapons and identification counts, with a parallel federal case still ongoing.
In a written decision issued September 16, Justice Gregory Carro found that the evidence presented to the grand jury was legally insufficient to support the terrorism designations. He ruled that prosecutors had not established a required element: that Mangione intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence government policy.
Because the terrorism charges are dropped, Mangione is no longer exposed to a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole under New York’s statute for crimes committed in furtherance of terrorism. The court kept in place the count of second degree murder for intentional killing. That count carries a sentence ranging from 25 years to life.
Carro also rejected defense arguments seeking to stay or dismiss the state case based on claims of double jeopardy, pointing to the legal doctrine of dual sovereignty, which allows state and federal prosecutions of the same act. He declined a defense request to delay the state proceedings in deference to the federal case.
In the state case, Mangione maintains his not guilty plea to all counts. Prosecutors are now poised to pursue trial on nine remaining charges, including murder in the second degree, multiple weapons possession counts, and falsifying identification.
Concurrently, Mangione faces a federal indictment in New York. The federal government is seeking the death penalty under charges tied to the same killing.
Mangione appeared in court on September 16, shackled and wearing prison attire. Supporters gathered outside the courthouse, some cheering the dismissal of the terrorism counts. His next state court appearance is scheduled for December 1, when pretrial hearings on evidence, suppression motions, and trial scheduling will begin.
The judge’s decision marks a setback for the prosecution’s theory that Mangione’s motivations placed his actions beyond a conventional murder case. But the broader legal battle continues on multiple fronts as both state and federal courts work toward resolution.
