Mangione supporters raise tens of thousands of dollars for legal defense

Dec 13

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)

Supporters of Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, are raising tens of thousands of dollars to fund his legal defense. The development is adding to fears among law enforcement that Mangione is being turned into a “martyr” amid rising threats against other CEOs in the wake of Thompson’s murder.

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Several online defense funds from anonymous users have popped up for Mangione. That includes one on the crowdfunding site GiveSendGo, which raised over $50,000 from nearly 1,500 donors as of Thursday, Dec. 12.

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The defense fund has dubbed itself “The December 4th Legal Committee.” It’s an apparent reference to the day investigators say Mangione gunned down Thompson on the streets of Manhattan.

The fund’s organizer says they do not support violence but believes “in the constitutional right to fair legal representation.”

GiveSendGo told ABC News that it takes concerns about the fundraising campaign seriously but noted that it allows legal defense funds as it believes in “due process.”

Other crowdfunding websites, like GoFundMe, have taken down Mangione’s legal defense funding efforts. The company states that it bars “fundraisers for the legal defense of violent crimes.”

Mangione’s attorney reportedly said that while his client should be presumed innocent, he doesn’t feel comfortable accepting money from supporters.

Reddit is also taking action against users posting what investigators say is Mangione’s manifesto by removing or restricting links to the document.

While some users accused the platform of censorship, the company said it violates their violent content policy.

Although many praise Mangione’s alleged actions, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg called the support “deeply disturbing.”

Prosecutors in New York City are working to secure an indictment against Mangione, who is still in custody in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona on Monday, Dec. 9.

Tags: Arrest, Brian Thompson, Crime, Death, Ghost guns, Gun violence, Guns, Health, Health Care, health insurance, Homicide, Murder, New York, New York City, Police, Police officers, shooting, UnitedHealthcare

[KARAH RUCKER]

SUPPORTERS OF LUIGI MANGIONE, THE SUSPECT IN THE KILLING OF UNITED HEALTHCARE C-E-O BRAIN THOMPSON, ARE RAISING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FUND HIS LEGAL DEFENSE.

THE DEVELOPMENT IS ADDING TO FEARS AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT MANGIONE IS BEING TURNED INTO A “MARTYR” AMID RISING THREATS AGAINST OTHER C-E-O’S IN THE WAKE OF THOMPSON’S MURDER.

SEVERAL ONLINE DEFENSE FUNDS HAVE POPPED UP FOR MANGIONE BY ANONYMOUS USERS.

INCLUDING ONE ON THE CROWDFUNDING SITE GIVE-SEND-GO, WHICH AS OF THURSDAY, RAISED MORE THAN 50-THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM NEARLY 15-HUNDRED DONORS.

THE DEFENSE FUND HAS DUBBED ITSELF “THE DECEMBER 4TH LEGAL COMMITTEE” AN APPARENT REFERENCE TO THE DAY INVESTIGATORS SAY MANGIONE GUNNED DOWN THOMPSON ON THE STREETS OF MANHATTAN.

THE ORGANIZER SAYS THEY DON’T SUPPORT VIOLENCE BUT BELIEVE “IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FAIR LEGAL REPRESENTATION.”

GIVE-SEND-GO RESPONDED TO THE FUND, SAYING IT TAKES CONCERNS WITH THE CAMPAIGN SERIOUSLY, BUT NOTING, IT ALLOWS LEGAL DEFENSE FUNDS AS IT BELIEVES IN “DUE PROCESS.”

OTHER CROWDFUNDING WEBSITES LIKE GO-FUND-ME HAVE TAKEN DOWN MANGIONE FUNDING EFFORTS.

THE COMPANY STATING IT BARS “FUNDRAISERS FOR THE LEGAL DEFENSE OF VIOLENT CRIMES.”

MANGIONE’S ATTORNEY SAYS WHILE HIS CLIENT SHOULD BE PRESUMED INNOCENT, HE NOTED, HE DOESN’T FEEL COMFORTABLE ACCEPTING MONEY FROM MANGIONE’S SUPPORTERS FOR HIS DEFENSE.

REDDIT IS ALSO TAKING ACTION AGAINST USERS POSTING WHAT INVESTIGATORS SAY IS MANGIONE’S MANIFESTO.

TAKING DOWN AND RESTRICTING LINKS TO THE DOCUMENT.

SAYING IT VIOLATES THE COMPANY’S POLICY REGARDING VIOLENT CONTENT.

WHILE SOME USERS ACCUSED THE PLATFORM OF CENSORSHIP.

WHILE MANY HAVE PRAISED MANGIONE’S ALLEGED ACTIONS, MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY ALVIN BRAGG CALLED THE SUPPORT “DEEPLY DISTURBING.”

PROSECUTORS IN NEW YORK CITY ARE WORKING TO SECURE AN INDICTMENT AGAINST MANGIONE, WHO IS STILL IN CUSTODY IN PENNSYLVANIA.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.