this post was submitted on 21 Mar 2025

1093 points (99.4% liked)

News

27735 readers

4453 users here now

Welcome to the News community!

Rules:

1. Be civil

Attack the argument, not the person. No racism/sexism/bigotry. Good faith argumentation only. This includes accusing another user of being a bot or paid actor. Trolling is uncivil and is grounds for removal and/or a community ban. Do not respond to rule-breaking content; report it and move on.

2. All posts should contain a source (url) that is as reliable and unbiased as possible and must only contain one link.

Obvious right or left wing sources will be removed at the mods discretion. Supporting links can be added in comments or posted seperately but not to the post body.

3. No bots, spam or self-promotion.

Only approved bots, which follow the guidelines for bots set by the instance, are allowed.

4. Post titles should be the same as the article used as source.

Posts which titles don’t match the source won’t be removed, but the autoMod will notify you, and if your title misrepresents the original article, the post will be deleted. If the site changed their headline, the bot might still contact you, just ignore it, we won’t delete your post.

5. Only recent news is allowed.

Posts must be news from the most recent 30 days.

6. All posts must be news articles.

No opinion pieces, Listicles, editorials or celebrity gossip is allowed. All posts will be judged on a case-by-case basis.

7. No duplicate posts.

If a source you used was already posted by someone else, the autoMod will leave a message. Please remove your post if the autoMod is correct. If the post that matches your post is very old, we refer you to rule 5.

8. Misinformation is prohibited.

Misinformation / propaganda is strictly prohibited. Any comment or post containing or linking to misinformation will be removed. If you feel that your post has been removed in error, credible sources must be provided.

9. No link shorteners.

The auto mod will contact you if a link shortener is detected, please delete your post if they are right.

10. Don't copy entire article in your post body

For copyright reasons, you are not allowed to copy an entire article into your post body. This is an instance wide rule, that is strictly enforced in this community.

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

1093

‘Hannibal Lecter’ treatment of Luigi Mangione ‘backfired’, says fundraising organizer (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 3 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

100 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Summary

Sam Beard, organizer of Luigi Mangione’s legal defense fund, claims the dramatic “perp walk” resembling Hannibal Lecter’s treatment backfired on New York authorities, boosting donations to over $743,000.

Mangione, charged with murder and terrorism for allegedly killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, received heightened security during extradition, drawing public sympathy.

Critics argue the campaign glorifies violence, while supporters emphasize fair trial rights.

Mangione, who pleaded not guilty, faces the death penalty if convicted.

top 50 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] [email protected] 63 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

This image is so ridiculous. Like he’s a danger so much that it took a platoon of people to parade this dude in cuffs. He allegedly killed one dude, he didn’t EAT the guy. It was blatantly obvious for everyone that this was a show of force, and it ironically makes them look weak as fuck.

You want me to respect your strength? Go put handcuffs on Trump. The rule of law is broken. The weak suffer the most and the rich pay to stay out of it.

I’m not a violent man. A death of another human is a complicated introspection for most people. Then there are others who don’t even consider the value or even a difference in perspective. Luigi is not some psychopath. Allegedly, he deliberately chose impact at the highest level he could. The representation of a broken and predatory system. It’s not ok that faceless entities who aren’t doctors can choose the life and death choices over the recommendations of doctors.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 days ago (3 children)

He killed one dude,

Stop saying this shit.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 2 days ago

Thank you! Everyone has been saying this and it's so cop-brained that it's frustrating.

They have not proven that he killed anyone. He is innocent until proven guilty. When you accept that he actually did anything before he is convicted, you are aiding the police's and prosecutor's job by making the assumption that arrest = guilt.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 2 days ago

Yep. He didn't do anything. Innocent into proven guilty.

If you want to be accurate, he was the primary suspect of the CEO shooting.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Why, is the court going to use random Lemmy comments as evidence?

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 days ago (3 children)

It's about being factual. Let's not make this Reddit 2.0 with bs.

load more comments (3 replies)

load more comments (1 replies)

[–] [email protected] 143 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

“It’s horrible when anybody has their life cut short by another person, especially when it could have been prevented,” Beard says on Luigi. “But the same logic has to apply both ways, right?

“Preventing people from getting the healthcare that they need – that you and your company have access to and could provide them, but don’t do so because it would threaten your business model – that’s an act of violence, too,” Beard says.

Hello based department, we got a candidate here for you.

"Luigi" in reference to the name of his podcast not the person Luigi Mangione

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago

Not just the healthcare they need, but also healthcare that they pay for.

[–] [email protected] 176 points 3 days ago (1 children)

No, I pretty much supported him the moment it was clear that the CEO toppled over from a pre-existing condition called "being vulnerable to lead projectiles."

[–] [email protected] 74 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Only 9mm too, what a nerd. Back in my day, we were expected to have built up an immunity to 9mm by high school.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 days ago

I hear nowadays if you can't tank a 5.56 to the chest by 8th grade they hold you back a year.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 days ago

According to RFK the best way to get immunity is for everyone to cop a 9mm lead projectile, instead of using any form of preventative measure.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago

honestly, coddling the human body about gun shots is making us weak as a people. we'll never get over this pandemic of gun violence if we keep natural compensatory measures from kicking in.

[–] [email protected] 205 points 3 days ago (3 children)

His treatment caused about . 02% of the support for him.

United Heaths treatment of the rest of us caused the rest.

[–] [email protected] 64 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Exactly, if he allegedly murdered the CEO of an organization that doesn't profit from the death and destruction of it's customers then the public reaction would be completely different regardless of any perp walk PR stunt.

For profit insurance glorifies violence, not resisting it

[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Yes exactly. Accused of killing CEO of children's charity known for amazing work with kids? Condemnation. Accused of killing CEO of organisation known as having caused a lot of suffering? Applause. I totally disagree with him being praised for possibly murdering someone, but I totally understand why people are doing it.

load more comments (4 replies)

[–] [email protected] 42 points 3 days ago (11 children)

Well, also the fact that he looks literally nothing like the dude from the security camera stills, the police have been bungling every single step of the evidence process since before they "caught" Mangione, annnd finally all the work theyve done to preprejudice the public into thinking he did it by organizing documentaries demonizing Mangione while being too busy to provide the details of their "evidence" to Mangione's legal council (which they are legally obligated to do!)

load more comments (11 replies)

[–] [email protected] 17 points 3 days ago (4 children)

I support him even if he's innocent.

load more comments (4 replies)

[–] [email protected] 227 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Who would'a thunk cops are really bad at reading the room?

[–] [email protected] 135 points 3 days ago (2 children)

"Okay guys, we've got an attractive man with a huge amount of public support behind him regardless of guilt. How can we not turn him into a martyr?"

"Hannibal Lecter walk?"

"Yeah that won't backfire at all!"

[–] [email protected] 65 points 3 days ago (3 children)

[–] NotSteve_ 28 points 3 days ago (1 children)

lol what could they possibly expect him to do that necessitates having multiple men with rifles?

[–] [email protected] 27 points 3 days ago (1 children)

While they didn’t need to go overboard like they did, the threat model is reversed. They are worried about what other people might do to him.

Ie: attempt to free him.

load more comments (1 replies)

load more comments (2 replies)

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 days ago

The authoritarian mind can't help itself.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 days ago

Cops will shoot your dog for barking then wonder why people think they’re assholes

load more comments (1 replies)

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 days ago

It's like they keep forgetting he is handsome

[–] [email protected] 62 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (3 children)

Given the success He should start his Presidental run right now. ( I want at least to see this movie )

[–] [email protected] 33 points 3 days ago (3 children)

A president once said “ I could shoot someone on fifth Ave. and not lose any votes”

[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 days ago (2 children)

turns out, it's a pretty good campaign move.

load more comments (2 replies)

[–] [email protected] 46 points 3 days ago (2 children)

These government gooners literally cannot comprehend why people live this guy and hate them. It'd be funny if it wasn't so irritating that these are the assholes in charge.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 days ago

Counterpoint: They know exactly why people love him and why they are hated.

It's time for a revolution.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 3 days ago (1 children)

It also helps that Luigi looks fine af. Like not even kidding I’m sure that’s a big part of the support too lol.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 days ago (3 children)

I agree. Lemmy seems unable to grasp this. He looks like a super nice, ordinary guy that you'd like to hang out with.

He probably is, but what about all the other people who don't look like him? No one talks about jury nullification for their cases.

load more comments (3 replies)

[–] [email protected] 125 points 3 days ago (2 children)

The optics the recently indicted (and later hastily pardoned) mayor being one of the guys perp walking the sympathetic suspect probably didn't help them either.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 3 days ago

Right? Most corrupt fuckin cop, there strictly for his own photo op of course, escorting a political-divide-spanning legitimate American folk hero. Seems like a pretty predictable response to me.

load more comments (1 replies)

[–] [email protected] 36 points 3 days ago

[–] [email protected] 91 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

What they don't seem to realize is that Mangione himself isn't all that important. Whether they kill him or successfully vilify him, in a few years people won't be thinking about the man himself all that much. Their continued hardship will be what they think about, and as long as it's the capital class's fault, the anger will keep growing.

[–] [email protected] 104 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (6 children)

This isn’t about a man anymore. It’s about an idea.

I hope the jury nullifies the charges, but he’s become a symbol for the common people of America because he acted on the fury and frustration that hundreds of millions of us feel. You can’t really kill an idea once it gains hold in the minds of that much of the populace.

[–] [email protected] 45 points 3 days ago (3 children)

It would be really funny if the jury nullifies (like so hard it's an acquittal, not just hung so they have to do another trial), and then he went and shot another scumbag CEO.

I would nullify again

[–] [email protected] 40 points 3 days ago

Obviously he's innocent and being framed and therefore should be found innocent, but if he gets out he's going to be watched like a hawk. He'll have a whole team dedicated to his surveillance. Again, super innocent, didn't do it.

load more comments (2 replies)

[–] [email protected] 32 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Allegedly

load more comments (1 replies)

load more comments (4 replies)

[–] [email protected] 62 points 3 days ago (3 children)

The shooter is immortal with or without Luigi. The shooter showed us they bleed and they’re scared and stumbling now to stay in control.

They have to sit and marinate with their mortality now. It scares them knowing they aren’t that different from us

[–] [email protected] 32 points 3 days ago (5 children)

This. Especially because it took days to actually find him. Imagine how pants-shittingly-scared the oligarchs would be if one got capped and they couldn't find the killer?

[–] [email protected] 40 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Who says they have found the killer? All I see is a scapegoat, snatched up by a panicking NYPD

load more comments (1 replies)

[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 days ago (3 children)

And that's why I think that he's not the one. They scrambled to find whatever evidence and pinpoint to anyone remotely similar to make an example out of him (this comment can be full of conspiracy). My take is they will pin someone, make an example out of him and demotivate future Green Guys.

But the issue is just a social class problem. A CEO is killed, media labels him as a domestic terrorist, a narcissist destroys the whole country (Elmo) and he's a "hero", especially if he uses one of his 13 meat shields.