NEW YORK — In a case that has captured significant public interest, a hidden note offering encouragement to Luigi Mangione was discovered within socks he wore to a court hearing last month related to the UnitedHealthcare CEO murder case. Recently released court documents revealed the note, which was heart-shaped and handwritten, as part of a wider debate over defense motions.
The note, intercepted by a court officer, urged Mangione to “keep your head held high” and reminded him that “thousands of people” wished him luck. The message, penned on pink paper, was signed off with “K / Free Luigi.” Mangione’s attorneys reported being unaware of the note’s existence until it was found on February 21.
This disclosure emerged during ongoing legal discussions about various requests from Mangione’s defense. Chief among these is their push for Mangione, charged with the murder of Brian Thompson, to be allowed access to a laptop in jail to review pertinent legal documents. The shooting death of Thompson, 50, occurred last December outside a midtown hotel that was hosting a UnitedHealthcare investor conference. Mangione, 26, maintains a plea of not guilty to the charges, which include murder as an act of terrorism.
Prosecutor Joel Seidemann criticized the defense’s request for a laptop, dismissing it as an unwarranted appeal for special privileges. Seidemann’s court submission noted that “special treatment to the defendant’s benefit” was already apparent when accommodations were made for Mangione’s clothing during the previous court appearance.
There is a disagreement between prosecutors and Mangione’s lawyers regarding how often defendants in custody can change out of prison uniforms into personal attire for non-jury court hearings. During Mangione’s February 21 court date, he was permitted to wear clothes provided by his legal team, which included a new pair of argyle socks. Both prosecution and defense documents indicate that two notes, including a heart-shaped thank-you note addressed to “Joan,” were found secretly placed within a piece of cardboard inside the socks.
Defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo claimed the notes were unintentionally included, as the defense hurried to deliver clothes to Mangione. However, the identity of the note’s author and how it ended up in the socks remains unknown, as neither court documents nor subsequent comments from either side have offered further details. Mangione wore the socks briefly but discarded them when deciding they didn’t suit him, appearing later in court with bare ankles shackled.
Following the incident, it was noted that while many, including elected officials and UnitedHealthcare staff, have denounced Thompson’s killing, Mangione has nevertheless drawn a substantial group of supporters expressing their discontent with current health insurance policies through his case. At the February 21 court session, many supporters appeared clad in green, resonating with the signature color of Luigi, a character from the Mario Bros. video game, and reflective of the solidarity they aimed to show.
Mangione too appeared in a green sweater, seemingly aligning with his supporters’ campaign. Seidemann remarked on this, though Friedman Agnifilo countered by emphasizing the need for greater attention to Mangione’s rights rather than his garments’ color choice. Besides the Manhattan charges, Mangione is also facing federal charges related to Thompson’s murder, along with separate state-level gun possession and other charges in Pennsylvania, though he has yet to make any formal pleas in those cases.