The CEO assassin Luigi Mangione has denied the federal charges after his followers gathered to demonstrate against the Department of Justice’s decision to seek the death penalty.
The protesters donned bizarre outfits and gushed over the 26-year-old Ivy League graduate before his latest bombshell court appearance.
Mangione is facing both state and federal charges for allegedly murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City on December 4.
Although New York courts do not implement the death penalty, he could face the possibility of being sentenced to death by a federal jury if found guilty of the more serious charges of stalking and murder.
Mangione pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned by state prosecutors.
He walked into the courtroom alongside his defense team wearing a tan prison jumpsuit and was not handcuffed, according to the BBC.
Prior to his court appearance, supporters of the accused killer dressed up as the Nintendo character Luigi and displayed posters advocating for his innocence while condemning the death penalty.
Meanwhile, dissenting artist Scott LoBaido showed up with a sculpture that appeared to call for Mangione’s conviction.
The artwork consisted of a model skeleton wearing a Luigi outfit and strapped to an electric chair. LoBaido said the title was “Deep fried Luigi.”
In a line waiting to enter the courtroom stood whistleblower Chelsea Manning, a transgender ex-United States Army soldier who was imprisoned for disclosing information to WikiLeaks.
LETTERS DOCUMENTED
Mangione’s defense team posted on his official legal defense information website to reveal that he is receiving an average of 10 to 15 letters per day while behind bars.
They bragged that Mangione “very much welcomes mail and tries to personally respond to many of the letters received.”
The defense shared scans of handwritten notes from the accused murderer documenting each letter by writing down the initials of the author and the date it was received.
The 26-year-old real estate scion became an overnight sensation after he allegedly murdered the dad of two as he was walking into an investors meeting in Manhattan.
Who is Luigi Mangione?
LUIGI Mangione, 26, was regarded as a beloved, clever and wealthy man by his family, friends and all who knew him.
He was born and raised in Maryland and graduated as the valedictorian from the private all-boys Gilman School in Baltimore.
He had no prior criminal history and was said to have been a model student, soccer player, and all-around athlete at high school.
One former student from the Gilman School told The U.S. Sun that Mangione was “popular” and had a “big circle of friends.”
“We went to the same school but didn’t really have the same friends. I’m really shocked by this whole thing,” the former student, who asked not to be identified, said.
“I think he played soccer, it was an all-boys school, so being a good athlete got you social currency for sure.”
Mangione graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied computer and information science, according to his LinkedIn profile.
He also got his masters from the Ivy League school.
Mangione was reportedly a data engineer at a car company in California before moving to Hawaii.
His cousin is also Republican Maryland State Delegate Nino Mangione.
