Folk Hero

Another "ripped from the headlines" episode based on the December 4, 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Thompson was standing outside of the New York Hilton Midtown when someone walked up and shot him three times with a handgun equipped with a suppressor, the murder was captured on security cameras. One of the spent shell casings had the words "delay, defend, deny" etched on it, a popular phrase used by insurance companies to describe efforts to deny claims. On December 9 the suspect in the shooting was identified as 26 year old Luigi Mangione, who was arrested in Pennsylvania, he was found in possession of a 3D printed pistol, a 3D printed suppressor, a fake New Jersey drivers license and a copy of a manifesto Mangione wrote criticizing the healthcare industry. His motive for targeting Thompson specifically is unknown, as Mangione was never a UnitedHealthcare client, although his case has served as a public call for the reform of the healthcare industry making Magnione become a kind of folk hero in some people's eyes; over $750,000 has been donated to his defense fund. A poll found that some people supported what Mangione did and believe he should be acquitted, while the majority of people questioned said that while they don't condone what Magione did and felt he should be punished, they also understood his reasons. Mangione is facing both state & federal charges that would result in either life imprisonment or death if convicted.

Mangione is facing 11 state charges in New York County Supreme Court: one count of criminal possession of a forged instrument in the second degree (class D felony), one count of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree (class A misdemeanor), four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree (class D felony), two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree (class C felony), one count of murder in the second degree (class A-I felony), one count of committing a crime of terrorism (class A-I felony), and one count of murder in the first degree (class A-I felony); if convicted he would face a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. He also faces four federal charges in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York: two counts of stalking (class D felony), one count of criminal use of a firearm equipped with a silencer (class B felony), and murder through use of a firearm (class A felony). The stalking and firearms charges carry a minimum sentence of 40 years in prison, while the murder charge carries a minimum sentence of life in prison, or the death penalty.

ADA Maroun says they determined the bullets from the victim were fired from the defendant's gun with 100% accuracy. However no ballistics test is ever that accurate, and in real life it is far less accurate than depicted. When a bullet hits a hard target, like a person, it is often too deformed (especially if it hits bone or metal) to make a conclusive comparison. It is actually uncommon for a ballistics expert to say they can conclusively match a bullet to a specific gun, most of the time the best they can do is to conclusively say the bullet was fired from the same make, model and caliber as the gun in question.

References Spartacus (1960)