An alleged letter from Luigi Mangione finds him reflecting on the milestone of turning 27 while behind bars.
The alleged letter, widely shared on social media in recent days, sees Mangione making a list of “27 things I’m grateful for,” with one item in particular, 16th on the list, getting special attention from those closely following the case. As previously reported, Mangione is the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was killed outside a New York hotel last December.
In the months since, Mangione has amassed a legion of supporters, ultimately raising a reported $1.1 million from nearly 31,000 donors for legal defense costs. In the alleged letter, dated June 3, Mangione first names “my friends, for being there when I needed it most” before moving on to the other 26 things for which he’s grateful.
Family, “thousands of letters” from “over 40 countries,” memes, books, his cellmate, the staff of the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, the facility’s “Chicken Thursdays” festivities, his lawyer, both conservatives and liberals, the concept of free speech, and more also get shoutouts in the alleged letter.
But it’s the inclusion of “Latinas for Mangione” at No. 16 that drew the most attention this week. While the alleged letter does not see Mangione elaborating on this mention, he does speak more generally about the support he’s received in letter form during his time behind bars, writing, “The monotony of my physical environment is offset by the variety and richness of the lives I experience through letters.”
An independent X account aimed at “raising awareness and tracking legal updates” on Mangione’s case shared the alleged letter earlier this week. TMZ also reported on it. However, its veracity wasn’t wholly confirmed as of this writing.
Complex has reached out to Mangione's legal reps for comment or clarification. This story may be updated.
A section on the Luigi Mangione Legal Defense Information website notes there is currently no “method to verify the authenticity of letters or emails attributed to Luigi.” In fact, the site points out that lawyers are “aware of at least one AI handwriting generator and several forged letters.” An example is also provided.
In a recent filing in Mangione’s state case in New York, his legal team asked the judge to allow for their client to “have his hands unshackled” for a scheduled June 26 court appearance. Furthermore, Mangione’s lawyers have asked for him to be able to dress in “appropriate clothing,” sans bulletproof vest.
“The authorities—both state and federal—have already prejudiced Mr. Mangione in the media more than virtually any defendant in recent memory,” Mangione’s legal team—including Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Marc Agnifilo, and Jacob Kaplan—wrote in the June 3 filing.