Previously the reporting on this did not have a political angle and so it was removed from Politics and correctly directed to News.

The charges related to terrorism now give this a political angle.

“Luigi Mangione is accused of first-degree murder, in furtherance of terrorism; second-degree murder, one count of which is charged as killing as an act of terrorism; criminal possession of a weapon and other crimes.”

The terrorism statutes can be found here:

https://criminaldefense.1800nynylaw.com/ny-penal-law-490-25-crime-of-terrorism.html

“The act must be committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion.”

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    ·
    5 days ago

    New York Penal Law § 490.25, the crime of terrorism, is one of the most serious criminal offenses in New York State. The statute defines the crime of terrorism as any act that is committed with the intent to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion and that results in one or more of the following: (a) the commission of a specified offense, (b) the causing of a specified injury or death, © the causing of mass destruction or widespread contamination, or (d) the disruption of essential infrastructure.

      • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        4 days ago

        Note the OR between coerceing the public and coerceing government. He coerced the public by murdering on the street. Doesn’t have anything to do with the government.

        • jordanlund@lemmy.worldOPM
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          2
          arrow-down
          2
          ·
          4 days ago

          Coercing the population to do something about the CEOs, coercing the government to do something about health policy.

          • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            4
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            4 days ago

            No. In this case they are arguing that the intent was to frighten people on the street. They spoke about it during the press conference. The insurance companies, health policy, etc will not play a part. In fact, the judge will probably prohibit its mention in a murder trial. That’s a subject for you guys. Anyway, it has nothing to do with politics

            • jordanlund@lemmy.worldOPM
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              4
              ·
              4 days ago

              Terrorism is, by definition, a political action. Charging him with terrorism makes it political.

              https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism

              “Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of violence against non-combatants to achieve political or ideological aims.[1]”

              There’s no question that the killing was ideological. I think where the charge has the potential to fall apart is “non-combatant”.

              If you argue that the CEO pushing the rejection of insurance claims is causing death, does that make them a “non-combatant”? 🤔

              Where it becomes a slippery slope is that this is the same excuse the “pro-life” movement uses for the targeted killing of abortion doctors, and they use the same tactics. Doxing, distributing hitlists, etc.

              • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                arrow-up
                3
                ·
                edit-2
                4 days ago

                It pertains to a New York law above. The legal charge is defined.I would hope a judge would not consider an argument about what it is outside the parameters of what is written in the law.

                  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
                    link
                    fedilink
                    arrow-up
                    2
                    ·
                    4 days ago

                    The judge explains the law to the jury, along with the idea that they shouldn’t apply their own standards for meaning as you do.

                    I think it won’t get to a jury anyway. I have a hunch that he’ll plead guilty at some point. Like his idol Ted Kaczynski did. I think a jury would be bad for him in any case. Manhattan has the world’s largest concentration of FIRE (Financial, Insurance, Real Estate) employees.