Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is urging his groupies to limit the number of photos they send him in jail. Women have been deluging the accused assassin with pictures using popular apps like Shutterfly.
The Independent reports that Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the high-profile murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has made a public plea to his groupies, requesting them to refrain from sending an excessive number of photographs. The 26-year-old, who was arrested in December for allegedly gunning down Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel, has garnered a significant following since his arrest, with groupies sending him love letters and contributing to his legal defense fund.
Despite being behind bars, Mangione has received an overwhelming amount of fan mail, including numerous photographs. In response to the influx of images, a statement on his legal defense information website’s FAQ page reads, “Luigi is allowed to receive photos via Shutterfly and FreePrints in accordance with mail procedures while in custody. Due to the volume of photos, they could take longer than usual to be screened and shared. Luigi appreciates the photos that are sent and kindly asks that people send no more than five photos at a time. Please note that every photo that is received is screened and reviewed by law enforcement.”
The murder suspect’s request comes on the heels of his first public statement since his arrest, in which he expressed gratitude for the support he has received from individuals across various political, racial, and class divisions. Mangione acknowledged the impossibility of replying to most letters but assured his supporters that he reads every piece of correspondence he receives.
Last Friday, the Ivy League graduate appeared for a pretrial hearing in New York Criminal Court, where dozens of his supporters gathered, some holding plush toys of Luigi from the Super Mario games and cheering for their hero. Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, argued that her client is being treated differently than other defendants, as he is being held in federal custody rather than state custody, despite the state case taking precedence.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Mangione’s legal defense fund, established by the December 4 Legal Committee, has amassed more than $615,000 in donations. Agnifilo confirmed that her client plans to utilize the funds to fight the multiple cases against him, which include murder and stalking charges at the federal level and firearm violations in Pennsylvania, where he was apprehended following a six-day manhunt.
Read more at the Independent here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
