What's New
Former Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Jeremy Saland warned on Tuesday that the new murder as an act of terrorism charge facing Luigi Mangione is a "bit of a stretch."
During an appearance on CNN, Saland, who was also a municipal prosecutor for New York's Westchester County, said: "I, maybe objectively or subjectively, believe this is a bit of a stretch. If I'm somebody, you kill a police officer that's one thing, if you kill a witness to a crime that's something else too that would rise to this first-degree homicide or murder, but this is, I think, if I'm someone whose brother or sister or sibling was murdered on the street. Why should a CEO's murder be treated differently than my loved one? I think it's trying to send a message. But I think it's going to also potentially cause them problems and that's why they kept also that regular, if you will, murder two."
Why It Matters
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York City on December 4 and Mangione, 26, has been charged in the killing.
According to New York law, the terrorism charge can be brought if the act "intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population, influence the policies of a unit of government by intimidation or coercion and affect the conduct of a unit of government by murder, assassination or kidnapping."
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced the new charge in a news conference on Tuesday. Newsweek reached out to Mangione's New York attorney via email Tuesday night for comment.
What To Know
Thompson was killed outside a Hilton hotel in Manhattan. Days after the shooting, Mangione was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Mangione is charged with gun and forgery charges in Pennsylvania, accused of possessing a fake ID and a ghost gun.
What People Are Saying
Former Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg told Newsweek via X, "In charging First Degree Murder in New York, prosecutors will now have to prove the extra element of an attempt to coerce or intimidate the public or government entity. In other words, terrorism. It definitely adds to the level of difficulty, but if unsuccessful the prosecutors can fall back on the second degree murder charge, which seems a lot easier to prove here."
Bragg said after Tuesday's news conference on X: "This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation. It occurred in one of the most bustling parts of our city, threatening the safety of local residents and tourists-alike."
Legal analyst Neama Rahmani also said on X in part: "First-degree murder charges for Mangione were expected. The killing was intentional and premeditated. Terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione are somewhat surprising. Terrorism requires the death to be intended to intimidate or coerce the population or influence government policy.
I question the wisdom of DA Bragg's office filing terrorism charges. First, it opens the door to evidence of WHY Mangione killed Thompson. That makes jury sympathy or nullification more likely."
CNN's Chief Legal Analyst and former NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller said on Tuesday: "I can't remember another case where we saw a lone gunman allegedly involved in extensive planning walk up behind somebody, the father of two, for the specific purpose of executing him because of his position as the head of the largest healthcare insurer in the United States. And that, according to the district attorney, is an attempt to coerce or influence the public or its citizenry or an industry towards change, which is included in the terrorism charge."
What Happens Next
Mangione is fighting extradition to New York from Pennsylvania and court documents show he is scheduled to be in court later this week.
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