"Whittemore, of course, was referring to the 27-year-old data engineer accused of shooting and killing the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, outside a Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan last December. The crime sparked a nationwide manhunt, which led to Mangione's arrest five days later at a McDonald's in central Pennsylvania. He has since been charged with more than a dozen state and federal offenses, including second-degree murder and stalking, to which he has pleaded not guilty. Federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty."
"Then she ripped the shirt off, threw it on the ground, and sat down, "pretending to ride" it, she says. The audience of mostly women went wild, chanting "free Luigi" while Whittemore scooped up wads of cash. Even after her performance, Whittemore kept the Mangione hype flowing: "I would go to every single person that I would see, any young group of girls at work who'd come in and be like, 'Hey, have y'all seen the guy who shot the CEO? He's so hot, right?'""
"She writhed and wiggled on the iconic strip bar's floor to System of a Down's "Prison Song" as onlookers cheered, and eventually lifted the shirt up to her head and wrapped Mangione's mug shot around her face. "I was like, 'Ya'll don't even need to look at me, just pretend I'm him,'" Whittemore recalls."
Luigi Mangione, a 27-year-old data engineer, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel and was arrested after a nationwide manhunt. He faces more than a dozen state and federal charges, including second-degree murder and stalking, and federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Mangione has pleaded not guilty. A fervent and sometimes performative supporter base has emerged, staging provocative displays, chants, and fundraising, while opposing factions contest his actions and motivations and debate broader themes such as health care reform and public perception.
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