Mangione Episode 4: "Free Luigi"

20/20

This episode explores how the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson became a symbolic flashpoint for widespread frustration with America's

Key takeaways

Mangione's murder of Brian Thompson sparked an unexpected wave of public support, with many viewing him as a symbol of resistance against systemic healthcare inequities.
The 'Saint Luigi' meme and Vito's Pizza display became viral symbols of the movement, illustrating how online culture can amplify real-world reactions to high-profile crimes.

Main topics

Luigi Mangione's guilty plea and its aftermath
Public reaction to Brian Thompson's murder

Notable quotes

We live in a civilized society governed by the rule of law. We debate, we disagree, we protest. We do not commit murder.

The CEO of a giant corporation gets shot on the street and people celebrate it as if a violent, murderous dictator had just been taken out by a military team.

Conclusion

While Luigi Mangione has admitted guilt in federal court, his case continues to symbolize broader societal

Transcript preview

Speaker 8 (0:00) Hi, this is Brian Buckmeyer, here with another weekly episode of my new podcast from ABC Audio and 2020, Burden of Proof, Luigi Mangione. Remember, you can also listen ad-free by subscribing to 2020 True Crime Plus on Apple Podcasts. Click the link in the description to learn more. Now, here's the next episode of Burden of Proof, Luigi Mangione. Speaker 5 (0:25) Hello, this is Chad. The Hulu original, Chad Powers. Everyone's obsessed with Chad Powers. He really is a master of disguise. Chad is hot. From Glenn Powell and the creator of Loki. I might be in over my head. Speaker 7 (0:41) Please do not get caught. Speaker 5 (0:42) The Hulu original, Chad Powers. This is the worst thing that can happen. Coach finds out your best holiday and actually murders you. September 3rd, streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney Plus for bundled subscribers. Terms apply. Speaker 3 (0:55) The defendant committed this murder in an attempt to draw public attention to his dislike of certain businesses. Speaker 2 (1:03) This is Jamie McDonald, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. He's speaking at a press conference after Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty in a federal court to two counts of stalking and admitted to shooting Brian Thompson. Speaker 3 (1:17) We live in a civilized society governed by the rule of law. We debate, we disagree, we protest. We do not commit murder. No grievance, political belief, or ideological cause can ever justify murder. There can be no celebrity in assassination. Speaker 2 (1:40) Brian Thompson's family, United Healthcare executives, and law enforcement attended the plea hearing. And so did two rows of Luigi Mangione supporters. Speaker 3 (1:50) Any person who celebrates, encourages, or excuses actions like these is fundamentally wrong. Speaker 2 (1:58) Through all the changes in this case, going all the way back to December 2024, one thing has been consistent. Luigi Mangione has vocal supporters. And many of them see him as emblematic of rage against the U.S. healthcare system. Speaker 7 (2:14) I was really proud that even when admitting his guilt, Luigi was able to find a way to still put the spotlight. on an industry that is so unfair. How Speaker 2 (2:33) did the killing of one man Speaker 8 (2:35) become a flashpoint for widespread frustration with America's healthcare industry? From ABC Audio in 2020, I'm Brian Buckmeyer, an attorney and ABC News legal analyst. And this is Burden of Proof, Luigi Mangione. Episode four, Free Luigi. Speaker 2 (3:00) In a quiet part of Baltimore, in a one-story brick shopping center, there's a pizza shop called Vito's Pizza. Speaker 4 (3:06) We have a good reputation of good pizza. And we have a sub, pasta, a little bit of Italian menus. Speaker 2 (3:17) That's Maria Montova. She and her husband, Giuseppe, who are in their 60s, own Vito's Pizza. We spoke to them months before Luigi Mangione's guilty plea and admission. The Montovas say that Speaker 8 (3:29) back when Mangione was a student at Gilman in the 2010s, videos would get a lot of Gilman boys ordering pizzas and subs. In December 2024, the Mantova's heard Luigi Mangioni was the police's number one suspect in Brian Thompson's murder. Maria says that a few days after the news broke, her daughter came across a meme online, a part-illustrated, part-AI-generated image of Saint Luigi. Speaker 4 (3:56) This picture of Luigi Mangioni in the vest of a saint. Speaker 2 (4:02) Maria's daughter printed out the picture and showed it to her parents. They all got a kick out of it at the time. To the Montovas, who are Roman Catholic, it was funny. Giuseppe asked his daughter to make a couple copies. Speaker 8 (4:15) She did, and he hung one up in the storefront right above the register. A local journalist posted about St. Luigi at Vito's. Speaker 4 (4:23) And then from there started all the dramas, I would say. Speaker 8 (4:31) Social media seized on the post, with users commenting, liking, and sharing it. It generated over 6 million views. And quickly, Speaker 2 (4:40) the online frenzy spilled out into the real world. At the time, Maria said the shop was flooded with customers who wanted to support the business and, according to her, make sure that picture of St. Luigi stayed up. Though, keep in mind, this was long before Mangione admitted to the shooting. But there was also a backlash online. and in person. Maria said some people accused the pizza shop of supporting Mangione, who at the time was still a suspect. Speaker 2 (5:18) And this is just one example of the explosion of online commentary surrounding Brian Thompson's murder. Gia Tolentino, a staff writer at The New Yorker, says the reactions to Thompson's killing indicated at the time that many Americans believe the private health care system is a, quote, large-scale purveyor of death. Speaker 6 (5:38) The CEO of a giant corporation gets shot on the street and people celebrate it as if a violent, murderous dictator had just been taken out by a military team. Speaker 8 (5:51) There were some messages expressing sympathy for Brian Thompson and his loved ones. But there were also jokes, sarcasm, and laughter. Lots of laughter. In fact, tens of thousands of social media accounts reacted with a laugh on Facebook. to UnitedHealth Group's official announcement of Brian's death. Folk artist Jesse Wells dropped a John Prine-style protest song less than a week after the killing, with lyrics that took aim at UnitedHealthcare. Speaker 8 (6:34) Of course, many followers of the case also commented on Mangione's looks. They talked about the clothes he wore to court and the music he reportedly listens to in jail. Some even cheered his mugshot, projected on a big screen during a dance party in Boston. There were Mangione lookalike contests in Washington Square Park in New York and on college campuses in Florida and Texas. Luigi the Musical reportedly performed to small sold-out theaters. Speaker 1 (7:04) But my back gave out and doctors couldn't help me as dollar signs decided who would live and who would not. Speaker 8 (7:14) Mangione merchandise went up for sale online. T-shirts, votive candles, Christmas ornaments, pint glasses, wine tumblers, and baseball caps. Some featured Mangione's face. Others said, free Luigi, or Speaker 2 (7:27) deny, delay, depose. The words that please say were etched into the bullet casings found at the crime scene. After Mangione was charged with Brian Thompson's murder, online fundraising for his legal defense surpassed more than $1.5 million. Give, Send, Go, the platform that hosts Luigi Mangione's legal defense fundraiser, confirmed to ABC News that the fundraiser is still active and said that there was renewed interest in donating to the fund after Mangione pleaded guilty in federal court. Some donors posted comments like, guilty but not wrong, and Luigi is morally innocent. Luigi Mania reached Mangione's jail cell too. He started receiving mail at the detention center. As of last summer, it was 10 to 115 letters per day, according to his attorneys. And this became more than an online phenomenon. It was impossible to attend one of Mangione's hearings without seeing his supporters outside or inside the courthouse. So what's motivating Mangione's supporters? what do you think of the latest development when he stood there in court and admitted to this crime, pleading guilty in federal court? What now? Speaker 3 (8:44) This show is sponsored by Chime. Most of us picked a bank when we were 16 years old and never looked back. 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Go to Chime.com slash Disclosures for details. Speaker 5 (9:40) Tupac Shakur, now 30 years after he was gunned down in Vegas, a one-time reputed gang leader stands trial for his murder. Follow every detail, streaming live daily on ABC News Live wherever you stream, and follow Burden of Proof daily wherever you get your podcasts. In a sunny Californian suburb, one family's home is unusually quiet. Speaker 1 (10:00) When detectives walked into that house, they said that it was like time just stood still. Speaker 5 (10:05) It's 2010, and the McStay family is nowhere to be