Dozens of fervent supporters of Luigi Mangione gathered in the biting cold outside a Manhattan courthouse this Monday, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the man whose name has become synonymous with a shocking crime.
Nearly a hundred of these fans—many sporting "Luigi" gear from Super Mario—were seen waiting well before the alleged assassin, 27‑year‑old Luigi Mangione, was due in front of the judge.
Mangione, a scion of a wealthy Maryland family, stands accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive, Brian Thompson, on a Midtown sidewalk last year.
Since his arrest, an ever‑present crowd of devoted followers has turned up in droves for each of his hearings.
“We are living in a time of rampant human rights violations. We’re seeing it left and right. If they can violate the rights of an attractive white male what hope do the rest of us have?” Jonathan Garthrelle, 36, from Jamaica, Queens, told The Post ahead of Mangione’s most recent appearance.
For some, the wait was even longer. 29‑year‑old personal chef Jasmin Flores from East Harlem paid a $150 Uber ride just to secure a spot in line, claiming she wanted to show her support for “the innocent.” “It’s important for me to be here because he’s innocent,” she said, even though video evidence and the murder weapon appear to place Mangione at the scene.
Not everyone made it into the courtroom. 35‑year‑old New Yorker Alexa Modugno shared that she fell just short of a coveted seat. “I was two tickets away,” she lamented. “They handed out tickets to those in line, and it capped at 24. I was 26. I’m just here to back Luigi and fight the stigma against mental health issues.”
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