Luigi Mangione accused of ‘inspiring’ second shooting

(NewsNation) — In a new filing, federal prosecutors argue that Luigi Mangione sought to inspire others to kill and, as a result, should face the death penalty.

The 27-year-old from Maryland is accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk Dec. 4.

Mangione has developed a national following since his arrest. As the Justice Department seeks the death penalty, Mangione’s legal defense fund has received $1.2 million in donations.

Prosecutors maintain that Mangione deserves the death penalty at least partially because he is so influential.

“Simply put, the defendant hoped to normalize the use of violence to achieve ideological or political objectives,” prosecutors said.

“Since the murder, certain quarters of the public — who openly identify as acolytes of the defendant — have increasingly begun to view violence as an acceptable, or even necessary, substitute for reasoned political disagreement.”

They specifically referred to last month’s shooting that killed four people at a Manhattan office building housing the NFL’s headquarters.

The shooter, Shane Tamura, left a note blaming the league for causing traumatic brain injuries, reminiscent of the “Deny,” “Depose” and “Defend” messages written on the bullets used to kill Thompson, found at the scene.

“Almost immediately, members of the public sympathetic to the defendant touted Tamura’s actions as a laudable continuation of the defendant’s philosophy,” prosecutors added.

Investigators also found notebooks of Mangione’s, in which he wrote, “The target is insurance.”

Mangione is being held in a federal jail in Brooklyn.