Luigi Mangione murdered Brian Thompson, the former CEO of the insurance company UnitedHealthcare, on Dec. 4 in New York City. Mangione was arrested on Dec. 9 and is facing a slew of state and federal charges, including murder in the first degree with a furtherance of terrorism, according to CBS News.
For many, Mangione is a symbol of revenge on a corrupt system that hurts people, the embodiment of karma for these corporations. To others, Mangione is a cold-blooded killer, a man who ripped away a father, a husband, a boss, and a friend.
It can be difficult to understand the true meaning of justice, and how to fight the people and corporations that may seem to care about money instead of providing help. Many people are and have been worried about access to reliable and affordable healthcare in the United States, for good reason.
One of these people is Mangione, a 26-year-old graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with two degrees, who suffered a debilitating back injury on July 4, 2023. This injury left Mangione with screws in his spine.
He was arrested at a McDonald’s on Dec. 9 in Altoona, Pa., after a customer recognized him and reported it to an employee, who called the police.
He has also been praised by a plethora of people on social media, with many commenting on his attractiveness and excusing his criminal offenses because they believe he did the right thing.
“If you’re treated unjustly by the healthcare system, you have no recourse at all. That feeling makes people feel helpless and angry and have desires of doing something,” said George Bonanno, a clinical psychology professor at Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York City, as quoted by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
This is not the first time a murderer has been celebrated by the public, either for their physical appearance or their crime. Criminal folk heroes of the past, such as Jesse James and Bonnie and Clyde, were glamorized and then celebrated by the public.
Although Mangione’s crimes are different from the crimes of those folk heroes, this act of glorifying criminals has occurred many times, and it is a fascinating phenomenon for psychologists and law enforcement alike.
The healthcare system is far from perfect, and it is often accused of hurtings people when it should be committed to helping.
“The United States is ranked No. 1 in most expensive healthcare yet is ranked No. 42 in life expectancy,” said Mangione in his handwritten manifesto.
People have a right to be upset, but when did this frustration become a justification for murder? Furthermore, when did this frustration become a justification for glorifying a murderer, no matter how good his intentions claim to be?
“They’ve made him a martyr for all the troubles people have had with their own insurance companies,” Felipe Rodriguez, a former NYPD detective sergeant, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Many law enforcement officers are condemning the online support of Mangione, and they are worried people will see him as an example to follow.
What makes Mangione more interesting is the fact that he comes from a wealthy family in Maryland. His graduation from the University of Pennsylvania, an Ivy League school, and his title as valedictorian from his boarding school set him apart from the type of person most think would perform this kind of crime.
This makes him seem more admirable though, knowing that he had influential connections and could’ve easily sought the help of his family if needed.
It is evident that many people, especially on social media, think they can excuse one atrocity for another, that they can excuse Mr. Thompson’s murder because they believe he has mistreated people who use United Healthcare as their insurance company.
But the fact still stands: Luigi Mangione is a murderer.
