As New York prosecutors work to bring murder charges against Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, supporters of the suspect are donating tens of thousands of dollars to defray the cost of his legal fees.
On the crowdfunding website GiveSendGo alone, supporters of the 26-year-old have raised about $120,000. The fund in question was created by an anonymous group calling itself “The December 4th Legal Committee,” in reference to the day Mangione allegedly ambushed and killed Thompson in Midtown Manhattan as the executive was on his way to his company’s shareholder conference at the New York Hilton Hotel.
“We are not here to celebrate violence, but we do believe in the constitutional right to fair legal representation,” the group said in a statement. The crowdfunding campaign elicited donations from thousands of anonymous citizens across the country, many of whom left messages of support for Mangione. Law enforcement officials now fear that such events will help turn the 26-year-old into that of a “hero” or “martyr.”
The collection on GiveSendGo was initially deactivated, only to be reinstated even before last weekend. In fact, a spokesperson for the company stated: “Our platform does not adjudicate legal matters or the validity of causes. Instead, we allow campaigns to remain live unless they violate the specific terms outlined in our Terms of Use. Importantly, we do allow campaigns for legal defense funds, as we believe everyone deserves the opportunity to access due process.”
Other platforms, however, such as Amazon and Etsy, have removed pro-Mangione merchandise from their websites, including T-shirts and bags with the words “Free Luigi” and the phrase “Deny, Defend, Depose.”
“People are entitled to their opinion”, Thomas Dickey, attorney for the young man arrested in Pennsylvania, said, “I’m glad he had some support.”
