The alleged assassin of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Luigi Mangione, returned to court on Monday, drawing a crowd of bizarrely enthusiastic supporters.
The 27-year-old's followers, donned in costumes, waited for hours to catch a glimpse of the man they disturbingly idolize. In a display of unsettling support, billboard trucks advocating for Mangione were spotted around the courthouse.
This unsettling spectacle unfolded almost a year to the day after the brutal murder in midtown Manhattan on December 4. Mangione is now seeking to have crucial evidence, collected by the police during his arrest in Altoona, Pennsylvania, five days post the shooting, dismissed.
According to RedState, Mangione's legal team is requesting the court to disregard evidence obtained during his arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald's five days subsequent to the murder. The evidence in question includes physical items from a backpack, notably the suspected murder weapon and his journals, as well as statements he made to the police prior to being read his Miranda rights.
The hearings are anticipated to span several days, with a pause on Wednesday.
Among the evidence Mangione seeks to have dismissed is the .9mm handgun that prosecutors claim he used to execute the killing and a notebook in which he allegedly expressed his intent to wack a health-insurance executive.
Despite the gravity of his situation, Mangione, whom Rolling Stone has dubbed one of the "most divisive murder suspects of the decade," appeared to be in high spirits. This is particularly disturbing considering he stands accused of the cowardly act of shooting a man he had never met in the back. This tweet captures the unsettling admiration some hold for Mangione:
"Luigi Mangione stuns in this black undershirt, red checkered shirt, and gray jacket; he is so editorial! ??#LuigiMangione"
This social media user was far from the only one expressing admiration for Mangione:
"Loony Luigi Mangione fans dress up, line up for chance to see alleged cold-blooded killer in NYC court."
Earlier this year, a judge shockingly dismissed state-level terror charges against Mangione. However, he still faces a multitude of charges in New York and federal counts that could result in the death penalty.
The public support for Mangione is a distressing indication of the Lefts ongoing normalization of political violence. This is evident in the two assassination attempts on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, the brutal murder of Turning Point Co-Founder Charlie Kirk, and the constant rhetoric suggesting that domestic terrorism is acceptable if it serves a particular cause. It is difficult to comprehend the thought process of these "fanatics" who glorify an alleged murderer because of his perceived attractiveness and his criticism of an admittedly imperfect health insurance system.
This is hardly a justification for the murder of an unsuspecting father of two.
One social media post aptly captures the sentiment:
"If you ever feel sad, just smile knowing that Luigi Mangione will die of old age in prison, and there is nothing that his mentally ill girly fan base can do about it ??"
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