NEW YORK—A New York state judge dismissed terrorism-related charges Tuesday against Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old suspect accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last year, ruling that prosecutors failed to prove the killing was intended to intimidate the public or influence government policy.
Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro tossed out two counts — first-degree murder in furtherance of an act of terrorism and second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism — after Mangione’s defense team argued the charges were legally insufficient. In a written ruling, Carro stated that while Mangione’s alleged actions were driven by an “ideological” motive tied to perceived inequities in the U.S. health care system, they did not meet the state’s definition of terrorism, which requires evidence of intent to “intimidate or coerce” civilians or government entities.
“There was no evidence presented of a desire to terrorize the public, inspire widespread fear, engage in a broader campaign of violence, or to conspire with organized terrorist groups,” Carro wrote. He described the alleged crime as a “heinous, but targeted and discrete killing of one person,” distinguishing it from broader acts of terrorism outlined in New York law, which was enacted after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks…