Admirers of Luigi Mangione seek to pay for his defense, raise nearly $200,000

Supporters of Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of the CEO of the insurer UnitedHealthcare, have raised $189,000 to pay for his defense and thus guarantee "his constitutional right to fair legal representation."The fundraiser, conducted through the GiveSendGo platform, has set a goal of pocketing $500,000 for the 26-year-old, who is accused of shooting executive Brian Thompson to death on Dec. 4.On their website, the donors write updates on Mangione's case; for example, last Friday they discussed his indictment in New York state for first-degree murder, which could count as a "terrorist act.""Terrorism is an act intended to instill fear in the general population, while Luigi's alleged actions only instilled fear in a small group of ultra-wealthy CEOs of corporations that profit from disease and death," they incised.Several letters have also been sent from the GiveSendGo fund to Mangione, who remains incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York: the latest missive dates from December 20 and informs the defendant of the money that had been raised.People send letters to Mangione: @renegadeforjustice #luigimangione #unitedhealthcare #ceo #hitmantok #luigi #jail #felon #support #empathy #write #letters #prisontok #prison #inmate #youaskedforit ? original sound - Renegade for Justice The creators of the campaign, who call themselves the "December 4 Legal Committee"-the day Mangione allegedly committed the crime-note that they have contacted his lawyers, Karen and Marc Agnifilo, in order to find out whether or not their client has accepted the money, because if he refuses they will donate the amount raised to "other political prisoners."A hero? This fundraising campaign is a reflection of the support Mangione has received since his arrest, with many considering him "a hero," and even today, outside a Manhattan state courthouse where he appeared on charges he faces in the state, some fifty people gathered with signs to show their support.The case is reminiscent of similar cases in which defendants received financial support from the public, such as that of former U.S. Marine Daniel Penny-acquitted a few weeks ago of strangling a vulnerable person to death-who got $3 million from a popular subscription fund to pay for his defense.Mangione, who pleaded not guilty today to the charges against him in New York, also faces federal charges of terrorism, murder, harassment and firearms offenses, as well as a separate case in the state of Pennsylvania, where he was arrested.?ksh?