Luigi Mangione Has a Fan Club at Pennsylvania Prison

Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson, has garnered a surprising level of sympathy across the country, striking a chord among the many Americans who detest major health insurance companies.

It seems his vigilante appeal extends to fellow inmates, too.

The cable network NewsNation scoped out the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon in Pennsylvania, where Mangione is being held after his arrest this week in nearby AltoonaIn a segment taped from outside the prison, a male voice can be heard shouting “Luigi’s conditions suck!” followed by “Free Luigi!”

NewsNation's @TVAshleigh and @alcaprari23 spoke exclusively with prison inmates live through the fence at the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon in Pennsylvania. Through flashing lights and shouts, they communicated the prison conditions of their fellow inmate,… pic.twitter.com/qLkWknyINl

— NewsNation (@NewsNation) December 12, 2024

Whether he and other prisoners have genuine affection for Mangione or are simply relishing some unexpected time in the spotlight is unclear; in the clip, NewNation anchor Alex Caprariello reports that some inmates had told him Mangione planned to watch the very show Caprariello was appearing on — which is impossible, as the prisoners then confirmed through shouts live on air, since Mangione does not have a TV in his cell.

In any case, Mangione probably won’t be in Pennsylvania long: he is fighting a likely-doomed battle against extradition to New York City on murder charges.