Comedian Gianmarco Soresi left news anchors shocked recently when he joked that Luigi Mangione was his cousin.
The comedian recently appeared on PIX11 News in which he spoke about having a rough holiday this year. “The holidays are tough,” he began. “I was supposed to spend them with my cousin, but he got caught up at work.”
“If you’re watching, we’re proud of you Luigi,” added Soresi — leaving the news anchors floored. After everyone nervously chuckled about the shocking joke, Soresi continued. “Please, come to the show and let’s just celebrate this year. We didn’t get everything we wanted, but we did get one.”
Mangione won’t be able to make it to that news platform this year — or any other one for the foreseeable future if he’s found guilty of murder in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Briain Thompson. The lead suspect in the case has pleaded not guilty to charges in connection with the shooting.
While being arranged in a New York courtroom recently, supporters stood outside of the building while carrying signs that read “deny, defend, depose,” and other related variations. Additionally, videos of the arraignment show people chatting “Free Luigi!”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. recently announced that Magione has been charged with the following: one count of first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, two counts of second-degree murder (with one also linked to alleged terrorism), two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, and one count of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument.
At his arraignment, Mangione didn’t have any family members present. Outside of it though, nearly two dozen women waited in support.
Though Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state charges for the shooting, his mother reportedly told authorities that she could “see him” doing it.
The FBI and NYPD reportedly contacted his mother Kathleen Mangione who’d filed a missing report the previous month and they’d received a tip from San Francisco’s Police Department who’d suggested that Mangione looked similar to the man seen in security video footage from an NYC hostel. "They had a conversation where she didn't indicate that it was her son in the photograph," said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. "But she said it might be something that she could see him doing."