‘My friend, family, and...': Luigi Mangione lists 27 things he's grateful for— Read the full letter
Luigi Mangione, the accused assassin of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, marked his 27th birthday from behind bars with an openletter. Sent from the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, where he's awaiting trial, the letter listed 27 things he's grateful for — one for each year of his life.
He opened his list with a heartfelt tribute, 'My friends, for being there when I needed it most.'
'(Number two), my family, for [REDACTED - my personal life is none of your business!]'
ALSO READ| Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO, pleads not guilty to federal charges
Despite facing state and federal charges and possibly the death penalty, Mangione's tone throughout the list veers from emotional to wry, even humorous. He gave a special shout-out to MDC's mail room workers, saying. 'Photocopied and processed thousands of letters sent to me from over 40 countries — your efforts are appreciated by so many.'
'The MDC staff and CO's, who are nothing like what 'The Shawshank Redemption' and 'The Stanford Prison Experiment' had me believe.'
He also thanked those who've donated over a million dollars to his legal defense and even gave a nod to a fan group he called 'Latinas for Mangione.'
'Laughter is louder than logic and makes a lot more sense,' while appreciating memes which a correspondent apparently told him,
Books have also played a big role during his incarceration. He praised Ayn Rand's Anthem, Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, and Patrick Bet-David's Your Next Five Moves. Though he can't read everything he's sent, Mangione shares books with others inside — especially his cellmate 'J.'
Of 'J,' Mangione wrote: 'Despite spending half of every day inside a shared birdcage and being sentenced to a decade away from his six kids who he loves – (he) tolerates the clutter of all my papers, shares his unique wisdom, and doesn't hesitate to humble me when I need it.'
Other curious mentions included his 'lucky long sleeve,' 'hearts,' and a final line, 'Light.'
ALSO READ| As Luigi Mangione entered plea, expert reveals CEO-killer could face '18-minute' death
'Thanks for the birthday message. Never lose the plot. Luigi,' he concluded the letter.
He returns to court on June 26, with his murder trial not expected to begin until 2026.
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The Hindu
22-06-2025
- The Hindu
Political Line newsletter: Violence as political currency
(This is the latest edition of the Political Line newsletter curated by Varghese K. George. The Political Line newsletter is India's political landscape explained every week. You can subscribe here to get the newsletter in your inbox every Friday.) Violence within national societies and among nation states marks a collapse of order A lawmaker in Minnesota, U.S.A., was killed and another injured in an act of political violence in the past week. The suspect had a list of 45 elected officials, all Democrats, who he wanted to eliminate, say reports. U.S. President Donald J. Trump survived two assassination attempts during the last election campaign. In December, the CEO of United Healthcare was shot dead, again in an act of alleged political violence. The suspect had apparently been upset with the unfairness of the U.S. health insurance sector. Mr. Trump's Attorney General has decided to seek the death penalty for the suspect. 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If the world succeeds in not destroying itself [i.e. by nuclear war], the probability will be quite strong.'' Federalism Tract: Notes on Indian Diversity Digging in The political battle over the antiquity of Tamil culture, between the State government and the Centre continues. The Centre controls archaeology in the country, but the State of TN has taken proactive measures to insert itself into archaeological excavation. The Centre wants the lead author of a report to rewrite it, and the State has objected to these efforts as a move to deny Tamils their due. Talking of antiquity of cultures, the Centre is supporting efforts to decipher the Indus Valley script, which remains an enigma a full century after it was discovered. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will host a three-day international brainstorming conference in August, which will assemble scholars working on the question. 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Mint
18-06-2025
- Mint
Minnesota murder case could mark rare return of death penalty; Vance Boelter faces possible federal execution
The man charged with killing a prominent Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another could face something that is a rarity for Minnesota but could become more common under the Trump administration: the death penalty. Minnesota abolished capital punishment in 1911, and the state's last execution was a botched hanging in 1906. But federal prosecutors announced charges against Vance Boelter on Monday that can carry the death penalty. It's not unheard of for state and federal prosecutors to both pursue criminal cases for the same offense, especially in high-profile matters. In this case federal authorities essentially grabbed the lead from the state prosecutor, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. Boelter had been scheduled to make his first court appearance on state charges Monday, but instead marshals took him from the county jail to the US courthouse in St Paul, where he appeared on the more serious federal charges. Boelter is accused of fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Before that, authorities say, he also shot and wounded another Democrat, Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, who lived a few miles away. He surrendered Sunday night after what authorities have called the largest search in Minnesota history. Two of the six federal counts can carry the death penalty, something federal prosecutors have not sought in a Minnesota-based case since the Supreme Court reinstated capital punishment in 1976. 'Will we seek the death penalty? It's too early to tell. That is one of the options,' Acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson said Monday at a news conference where he revealed new details of what he described as a meticulously planned attack. They included allegations that Boelter also stopped at the homes of two other lawmakers that night and had dozens of other Democrats as potential targets, including officials in other states. Boelter's federal defenders have declined to comment on the case, and he has not entered a plea. On her first day in office in February, Attorney General Pam Bondi lifted a moratorium on federal executions that was imposed under the Biden administration in 2021. Only three defendants remain on federal death row after Biden converted 37 of their sentences to life in prison. Bondi has since authorized federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in at least three cases, including against Luigi Mangione for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. In the other two cases, the Justice Department has said it is seeking the death penalty against defendants charged with killing fellow prison inmates. President Donald Trump's first administration carried out 13 federal executions, more than the administration of any other president in modern history. The federal intervention in Boelter's case appeared to irritate Moriarty, the county's former chief public defender, who was elected on a police reform and racial justice platform in 2022 after the police killing of George Floyd. At a news conference Monday to announce the state charges, Moriarty gave only vague answers in response to questions about the interplay between the federal and state investigations. But she acknowledged 'there's a tension' and said federal officials 'can speak for themselves.' Moriarty said she intends to press forward in state court regardless and to seek an indictment for first-degree murder for the killings of the Hortmans, which would carry a mandatory sentence of life without parole. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for further comment Tuesday. As evidence of the tensions, the county attorney refused to clarify how Boelter' first hearings would play out. Court records show that Boelter was called for a first appearance in Hennepin County on Monday and that because he was not there as he was in federal custody, the judge issued a bench warrant as a formality, as requested by prosecutors. 'Usually murder cases are overwhelmingly handled in state courts,' said Mark Osler, a death penalty expert at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis. 'Clearly this is something of national interest. And that seemed to play a role in the decision that the Justice Department is making here.' Osler, who formerly served as Moriarty's deputy county attorney and head of her criminal division, as well as assistant U.S. attorney in Detroit, acknowledged that there are often tensions between state and federal prosecutors. 'There's no doubt that it's complicated,' Osler said. 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Time of India
15-06-2025
- Time of India
'Far left is murderously violent': Is Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Luther Boelter a Democrat?
Vance Luther Boelter worked for Minnesota Dem Governor Tim Walz but his pal says he is a Trump supporter 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter allegedly shot and killed Minnesota politician Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman at their home in Brooklyn Park -- posing as a police officer. A manhunt has been launched while Democrats and Republicans are at odds with the political affiliation of Boelter -- as the killed politicians were Democrats. Roommate says Boelter is a Trump voter According to reports, a roommate of Boelter who knew him from fourth grade claimed that the suspect was a Trump supporter. David Carlson, the friend, claimed to have received the last text message from Boelter which said: "I may be dead shortly. I wish it hasn't gone this way. I don't want to say anything more. You guys don't know anything about this. I love you guys and I am sorry for all the troubles this has caused." The friend, however, said they did not speak about politics lately. — elonmusk (@elonmusk) Elon Musk reacted to the murders and shared an X post writing: 'The far left is murderously violent". The post he had shared reflected on how the left became a "full-blown" domestic terrorist organization. "The left kills the CEO of United Healthcare. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Kills two Israeli ambassadors staffers. Attempts twice to assassinate the President. Doxes and attempts to murder federal ICE agents and Police - all week. And now kills a MN state rep and her husband and injures a Senator and his wife. The left has become a full blown domestic terrorist organization," the post said. Is Boelter a Democrat? The MAGA rejected that Boelter was a Trump supporter and emphasized that he was employed by Governor Tim Walz and there were 'No Kings Day' poster found in his car. "The media wants to gaslight you into thinking the shooter in Minnesota is a Trump supporter. He was appointed by Walz. He was friends with Walz. And he had NO KINGS flyers in his car. No Kings is a violent group and it's no surprise the shooting took place the day the NO KINGS protests kicked off across the country. The organizers of NO KINGS and @GovTimWalz need to be detained by the FBI and interrogated," Trump aide Laura Loomer said.
