A hidden note of encouragement was discovered in the socks of Luigi Mangione, the defendant in the UnitedHealthcare CEO murder case, prosecutors revealed in a court filing made public on Wednesday.
According to Manhattan prosecutors, the heart-shaped note was tucked inside a pair of Argyle socks that Mangione had been given to wear to a court hearing last month. A court officer intercepted the message, which expressed support for the jailed 26-year-old, saying, “know there are thousands of people wishing you luck.”
Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a midtown Manhattan hotel in December, has pleaded not guilty. The shooting occurred near the venue of an investor conference hosted by the health insurance giant. His defence team has since requested that he be allowed access to a laptop in his jail cell to review legal materials while awaiting trial.
Prosecutor Joel Seidemann opposed the request, arguing it amounted to preferential treatment. He also cited previous accommodations made for Mangione, including allowing him to change out of his jail uniform for his February 21 court appearance, an option not typically extended to jailed defendants for non-jury proceedings.
Mangione has developed a cult following among individuals frustrated with the US healthcare system, particularly over denied insurance claims and costly medical expenses. Dozens of supporters attended the hearing, many wearing green, the signature color of the “Luigi” character from the Mario Bros. video game series. One attendee even donned a green “Luigi” hat.
Mangione himself wore a green sweater, aligning with what his sympathisers had encouraged supporters to wear, Seidemann noted in the filing.
Prosecutors further disclosed that another heart-shaped note, addressed to an individual named “Joan,” was also found hidden within the socks’ packaging. The sender’s identity remains unknown. While Mangione initially put on the socks, he later removed them, allegedly saying, “they did not look good.”
During the hearing, he appeared in court wearing loafers, with his bare ankles shackled.
Beyond the Manhattan murder charges, Mangione faces federal charges related to Thompson’s killing, as well as additional state gun possession and other offenses in Pennsylvania. He has yet to enter pleas in those cases.
