A Manhattan judge on Tuesday dismissed the two most severe charges against the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Luigi Mangione, who prosecutors allege carried out the targeted assassination last December, appeared in court for the first time in months.
Judge Gregory Carro threw out the charges of first-degree murder as a crime of terrorism and second-degree murder as an act of terrorism, ABC News reported.
BREAKING: A judge has dismissed two murder charges related to acts of terrorism for Luigi Mangione, the accused killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Mangione still faces a second-degree murder charge. https://t.co/kQZNDjCNli pic.twitter.com/084vc1Rc0a
— ABC News (@ABC) September 16, 2025
In his ruling, Carro said the evidence presented to the grand jury did not justify terrorism-related charges.
“While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC, and the health care industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to ‘intimidate and coerce a civilian population,’ and indeed, there was no evidence presented of such a goal,” Carro wrote.
Prosecutors had argued that Mangione’s alleged actions intimidated or coerced employees of UnitedHealthcare.
Carro rejected the argument.
“We respect the Court’s decision and will proceed on the remaining nine counts, including Murder in the Second Degree,” the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said.
In addition to a second-degree murder charge, Mangione faces several other charges, including multiple weapons charges.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Mangione did not address the court.
His next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1.
Mangione is accused of gunning down Thompson with a 9 mm handgun fitted with a silencer outside a Midtown hotel on Dec. 4, 2024.
He was captured days later at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where investigators said they found the alleged murder weapon and a fake ID.
A federal indictment includes murder through the use of a firearm, which carries a potential death sentence.
On X, Fox News confirmed that “state terrorism charges against him have now been dismissed.”
Video posted by the network online showed a crowd of Mangione’s supporters cheering the news.
JUST IN: Luigi Mangione enters a NYC courthouse for a status hearing — state terrorism charges against him have now been dismissed. | @EricShawnTV pic.twitter.com/0FpeG2XHkE
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 16, 2025
Mangione, who has gained a cult following throughout the last year, has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
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