Strange Interview: Prisoners Watch Live News, Answer Back

Artist’s impression of Luigi Mangione, December 2024

I’ve been catching up on the Luigi Mangione story tonight. The one sentence summary, as it appears now, is: Luigi Mangione, a rich well-liked, well-educated valedictorian with Lyme disease has been apprehended who is alleged to have killed Brian Thompson, a very rich health insurance provider CEO, at a conference in New York, a man whom he believed was responsible for the suffering and deaths of many people by denying them health coverage.

The first video below is one of the most interesting accidental things I’ve seen happen in a while during a live broadcast. Perhaps something like this has happened before, but this is the first time I’ve seen it. In this video below, a reporter, Alex Caprariello, was reporting live outside of the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon in Pennsylvania where UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect Luigi Mangione is reportedly housed. Because the inmates were watching the live newscast, they yelled out the window in answer to one of the questions and then later a series of delayed group interview questions proceeded when Caprariello realized they were responding to what was said on the news.

NewsNation’s Alex Caprariello and Ashleigh Banfield spoke exclusively with prison inmates live through the fence. One yells “Free Luigi Mangione” and the interview reveals that they do not have eyes on Luigi, and that the food is not what is listed and is terrible, and that Luigi does not have TV in his cell. There are other things you can hear as well, no telling which may be true for certain, but interesting.

Luigi Mangione’s conditions ‘suck’ in his Pennsylvania prison, inmates say to NewsNation. “Free Luigi” an inmate through the bars to the news. Luigi has his own solitary cell (not solitary confinement) according to the Department of Corrections according to the NewsNation report.

At then end the inmates flick their cell lights on and off showing that they can hear the report and the reporters let them know that they were heard tonight.

There are so many video on YouTube about this story that you could watch for many hours. With this one by AwakenWithJP, it was hard to tell at first how serious it was. Kernels of truth? You be the judge.

One YouTube comment from this show had 1,600+ likes: “If the eye brows don’t fit, you must acquit. – the internet”

Some friends of Luigi have posted on social media, for example, a short clip of him helping a friend find ice cream at a store. Another said he is not a monster, that they have the story “all upside down.”

Here are some fact-checked key points:

1. Extradition and Charges: Mangione waived extradition and was transferred to the New York City Police Department, where he faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism related to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has indeed charged him with murder “in furtherance of terrorism” [2][4][10].

2. Public Support and Donations: There is substantial public support for Mangione, with reports indicating that he has raised over $130,000 through a defense fund organized by a group called the December 4th Legal Committee [5][11]. This fund has gained traction despite GoFundMe removing campaigns supporting him due to their policy against fundraising for violent crime legal defenses [7].

3. Perp Walk: Mangione’s perp walk was characterized by an unusually high police presence, which included New York City Mayor Eric Adams. This event sparked significant media attention and public discourse, with some commentators labeling it as “law enforcement theater” [1][2][3][12]. The mayor’s presence at the event has been criticized as a political move amidst his own challenges in office [12].

4. Jury Nullification: The notion that jurors might engage in jury nullification—where they ignore evidence to acquit someone they believe is unjustly charged—has been discussed in relation to Mangione’s case. While this is a recognized but rarely invoked principle in the legal system, it remains speculative whether it will occur in this situation [1][4]. Potential Jurors: Be aware that your social media / website will be examined by lawyers before you are selected, so if you think you might be a juror on this case, stay fair and neutral on your social media.

5. Cultural Impact: Mangione has developed a “cult following,” with online support and discussions surrounding his case gaining significant traction on social media platforms [9]. This phenomenon reflects broader societal frustrations with the healthcare system, which some supporters cite as a motivating factor for Mangione’s actions.

The claims above about Luigi Mangione’s case are substantiated by multiple sources. The case is a high profile complex interplay of legal proceedings, public sentiment, and media portrayal.

The outrage of people’s personal stories with health care denials are statements like this one (screen shot). “Not everything needed to live counts as medically necessary”

Can you believe that statement, that something you need to live is not medically necessary? I don’t know the specifics behind that, but in my view, the sickening reality of coverage rejection statements like these from health care providers has fueled Luigi Mangione’s status as a hero with some people. I have my own example of a denial statement that reminds me of this one.

My denial for outside treatment, when Kaiser could not come up with a valid diagnoses or treatment plan after more than three years of my own pain and suffering was this, “The multi-organ symptoms can not be explained by a neurological diagnosis.” I had actually asked for a referral to a Lyme literate neurologist, and Lyme disease attacks many organs, so the denial made no sense. It was illogical, but I was told that if I fought it, even though I’m in the right, I would lose because the appeal board, the so called regulator, has no power. I was told no one ever wins an appeal for an outside referral.

It was only after I wrote the above the I learned Luigi Mangione has (or had) Lyme disease as well.

Yes, Luigi Mangione has a history of Lyme disease. He contracted it at the age of 13 and has mentioned seeking evaluations for it as an adult. His struggles with Lyme disease have been noted alongside other health issues, including severe back pain and cognitive difficulties, which can persist long after treatment for Lyme disease. Mangione’s experiences with these health challenges have been shared on social media, where he expressed the impact they have had on his life and mental well-being[14][15][18]. His lawyers and the public should note that there is evidence supporting the claim that untreated or chronic Lyme disease can lead to significant brain dysfunction and behavioral changes.

In any case, one comment that sums up the view of a large segment of the public was this: “I do believe he (Luigi Mangione) killed one person, but the CEO had corporately killed thousands.”

I do not condone any killing, be clear about that, but I more strongly not condone one person killing many people with his words and position of power than I do not condone one person with a ghost gun killing a person who killed many people with his words and position of power.

Luigi Mangione is a symbol, one that must frighten the system, so he may have poor treatment from the system in terms of a fair trial. Here’s hoping he gets one which takes his history of good behavior and brain damage from Lyme disease into account.

What will happen? Whatever happens with his trial, I can hope from this that health care insurance will be forced to reform. There should be a randomly selected citizens appeal board that rotates quarterly to avoid individuals getting compromised by bribes from industry, a board with “teeth” that could override an insurance industry denial.

I can’t help but think of this as some sort of grand AI test of our humanity.

1 comment

Xeno December 24, 2024 at 11:03 pm

This is an amazing story of American frustration with a broken predatory health care system. Real reason Luigi Mangione is clean shaven in prison: The barbershop head went to him. Luigi’s fellow inmates arranged for his shaving as he became a hero in the jail as well.

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Strange Interview: Prisoners Watch Live News, Answer Back

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