this post was submitted on 17 Dec 2024
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Previously the reporting on this did not have a political angle and so it was removed from Politics and correctly directed to News.

The charges related to terrorism now give this a political angle.

"Luigi Mangione is accused of first-degree murder, in furtherance of terrorism; second-degree murder, one count of which is charged as killing as an act of terrorism; criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes."

The terrorism statutes can be found here:

https://criminaldefense.1800nynylaw.com/ny-penal-law-490-25-crime-of-terrorism.html

"The act must be committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion."

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[–] tiefling@lemmy.blahaj.zone 206 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (11 children)

Storming the capital or shooting dozens of children are not terrorism, but shooting a CEO who murders thousands is. Got it.

They're clearly trying to send a message to scare his supporters

[–] Boddhisatva@lemmy.world 22 points 1 week ago

They’re clearly trying to send a message to scare his supporters

Yes, they are. By charging him as a terrorist, they are saying that anyone who supports him is supporting terrorism. I'm sure that someone somewhere is making very long lists of names of social media posters and people who donated to his legal defense.

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[–] shittydwarf@lemmy.dbzer0.com 136 points 1 week ago (3 children)
[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 48 points 1 week ago

Justifiable homicide.

[–] WoodScientist@lemmy.world 27 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Nah. I have an out. Insurance CEOs simply aren't human. The charge should be animal cruelty at the worst. Luigi should get the same criminal penalty as someone would get for stepping on a cockroach. Murder requires the thing you're destroying to actually be a human being.

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[–] Jyek@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 week ago

Nullify the jury. A man can break the letter and spirit of the law if the jury decides he should not be punished for it.

[–] Cold_Brew_Enema@lemmy.world 93 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Whatever. United Healthcare should be next for the countless murders they've done.

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

We don’t put corporations on trial in America, silly billy

[–] Enkers@sh.itjust.works 76 points 1 week ago (2 children)

"The act must be committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion."

These CEOs are quite literally trying to kill us for profit. This is class warfare, and they are the aggressor. They are not civilians, and the terror is not directed at the population or the government.

In fairness, I think you could argue the second half. But I would have to read the manifesto to see if he actualy intended that, or if it is just the rest of us who wish he had..

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

I tend to agree with that, the intent isn't to make the general public afraid, it's to coerce them into taking action.

[–] Bbbbbbbbbbb@lemmy.world 67 points 1 week ago (3 children)

So the jury has their out now, jury nullification on the grounds of the act not being terrorism

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 20 points 1 week ago (2 children)

nope. not that one.

there's two charges, only one with 'terrorism' attached.

[–] WoodScientist@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Are insurance CEOs really human? Is it even possible to commit murder against one? I think it would be more like killing a flesh-eating parasite. I'm thinking the charge should be animal cruelty at the worst. What kind of criminal penalty would I get if I threw an ant farm in a lake? That's the kind of punishment Luigi should get.

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[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 65 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)

Terror?

Come the fuck on, ~~Feds~~ New York. Absolutely fucking not. This sparked joy, not terror, in the populace. This was, to be quite frank, the exact opposite of terrorism.

[–] jordanlund@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago

It's not the Feds, it's the state of New York.

[–] BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

This is like saying a wife killing their abusive husband is an act of terror. Clearly she's saying she's not taking the abuse anymore and any man or woman that treats her so poorly would meet a similar end. The perp that killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO and those cheering him on are saying the same thing -- enough abuse. We're all terrorists because we want CEOs that do real harm to their customers to be held accountable? The current system is completely ill-equipped to even do so much as shame these abusers (i.e. libel and slander laws).

[–] samus12345@lemm.ee 8 points 1 week ago

It sparked terror in the people that actually matter, the ruling class.

[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 week ago

It also makes light of actual terrorists. Perhaps they aren't all bad after all.

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[–] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 58 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Terrorism to bring this to first-degree is very much a stretch in my eyes. The poor civilian CEO population are spooked by one person getting shot.

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It makes it harder to prosecute, at least?

[–] Makeitstop@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago (1 children)

They aren't dropping the second degree murder charge, so they don't necessarily have to meet the higher bar that this sets.

That said, while they probably want to be able to paint him as a terrorist, that necessarily involves a more detailed look at what he was trying to accomplish, and that might just backfire on the prosecution. It only takes one sympathetic juror to block a guilty verdict.

[–] turtle@lemm.ee 5 points 1 week ago

That said, while they probably want to be able to paint him as a terrorist, that necessarily involves a more detailed look at what he was trying to accomplish, and that might just backfire on the prosecution. It only takes one sympathetic juror to block a guilty verdict.

This is a really good insight, thanks!

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[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 40 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Okay, so next time just make it look random. Got it.

[–] foggy@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago
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[–] BowtiesAreCool@lemmy.world 37 points 1 week ago

So by saying terror, they admit that there is something to be fixed by policy of a government

[–] pornpornporn@lemmynsfw.com 34 points 1 week ago

"One Man’s Terrorist is Another Man’s Freedom Fighter"

[–] PunnyName@lemmy.world 33 points 1 week ago

Post bills every-fucking-where about Jury Nullification.

[–] Tuxman@sh.itjust.works 29 points 1 week ago

Well… guess the family won’t get life insurance now that it’s called a terrorist attack 🤣

[–] Glide@lemmy.ca 25 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"The act must be committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion."

I have no issue with the state correctly identifying this act as terrorism. I take great issue with the fact that this act is being defined as terrorism, while using a definition that clearly defines many things that get a pass as terrorism. Remember last Trump presidency, when his white house published an old-school violent videogames scare video to garner support for his policies while distracting from discussion on gun laws? An act committed with the intent to coerce a civilian population is terrorism.

And let's be real, I picked a low-stakes, innoculous example just to make a point: the state does a LOT to terrorize it's citizens. But when they do it, it's "law and order." When Luigi fights back in self defense? "Terrorism".

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[–] robocall@lemmy.world 25 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (5 children)

New Yorkers and Pennsylvania residents need to show up to their jury duty summons and get your ass on a trial... You never know whose trial you'll end up on. Don't say nullification during the interview!

[–] Semi_Hemi_Demigod@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

If was considered a peer of Luigi Mangione I would be so fucking honored.

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[–] peoplebeproblems@midwest.social 23 points 1 week ago (2 children)

The act must be committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion

No, see, that's clearly false. The civilian population did not get intimidated or coerced by fuck and all, and the government wasn't threatened.

So, nope. Not guilty.

[–] zib@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago

I think what the state is trying to say is that only corporate executives are people.

[–] Rhaedas@fedia.io 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The government is run by corporatism, so maybe? But as for the public, this is most solidarity we've seen from US citizens in a while. We weren't the target, nor did we feel like we were. We were Spartacus.

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[–] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 22 points 1 week ago

You can tell the corpos are really upset when the government they own brings out the T word.

[–] Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 22 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This guy is going to get a standing ovation when he enters the courtroom.

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[–] knobbysideup@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 week ago (3 children)

One person getting shot is not terrorism.

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago (3 children)

By what definition? It most certainly can be.

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[–] Allonzee@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.

[–] Kowowow@lemmy.ca 12 points 1 week ago (2 children)

"The act must be committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion."

So it's fine if you use large sums of money but someone goes with the more democratic route of using a gun and suddenly it's not cool

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[–] Rapidcreek@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago (12 children)

New York Penal Law § 490.25, the crime of terrorism, is one of the most serious criminal offenses in New York State. The statute defines the crime of terrorism as any act that is committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion and that results in one or more of the following: (a) the commission of a specified offense, (b) the causing of a specified injury or death, (c) the causing of mass destruction or widespread contamination, or (d) the disruption of essential infrastructure.

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[–] NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 5 points 1 week ago (2 children)

As happy as it made everyone with a brain: That was definitely the legal definition of terrorism (if he did it).

From a quick google, criminal possession of a weapon is because NY has laws against ghost guns (3d printed firearms).

Don't get the logic on both first and second degree for blapping the same guy though.

[–] WoodScientist@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

Eh. I really don't consider insurance CEOs to be human. If you so thoroughly abandon your own humanity, why should we even legally consider you a human being anymore? As such, I would argue that it's no more possible to murder an insurance CEO than it's possible to murder a cardboard box. Hell, at least a cardboard box does some minimal good for the world. Frankly, Thompson's doing more good for the world as worm food than he ever did as a CEO. I consider the worms feeding on Thompson to be more human than Thompson himself. Does Thompson technically have a family? Sure, but so do the worms.

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