"The first people in line on Tuesday, I was told, started camping out on the sidewalk two days ago. Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024, was due in court at 9AM ET for a hearing in one of three concurrent criminal cases against him. And this time everyone was prepared for the mayhem: the signs, the fans, the livestreamers, the protests, the media circus."
"Mangione is both ubiquitous and fleeting. The last time the public saw him (aside from a bizarre, unauthorized appearance in a men's shirt listing on Shein) was in February at this same courthouse in Manhattan, when hundreds of members of the general public and media convened for a routine pretrial hearing. He exists in memes, in passing references, and in content moderation decisions, and he lives rent-free in the mind of Donald Trump."
"They are reminded of him when new photos drop or when there are incremental updates in the cases against him. But the wall-to-wall coverage of the case has waned, and it's the people who are the most tapped in that are working to keep interest in the case alive. Mangione and the larger discussions around healthcare reform are one item in a list of approximately 8,000 pressing topics swirling in the US."
Large crowds formed early outside the Manhattan courthouse ahead of Luigi Mangione's scheduled hearing, with some people camping out for days to secure entry. The hearing drew signs, fans, livestreamers, protests, and heavy media presence. Mangione appears widely in memes, references, and content-moderation debates, and maintains a prominent place in certain political narratives, including attention from Donald Trump. Public awareness spikes around new photos or incremental case updates, but intensive coverage has declined over time. Dedicated online and offline communities are working to sustain interest. The case competes with thousands of other national issues, including healthcare reform.
Read at The Verge
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