Fox News personality Jeanine Pirro had a warning word of advice for her co-host Jesse Watters after he hoped the suspect in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson would be murdered in prison.
Luigi Mangione, 26, was charged late Monday in Manhattan with second-degree murder, forgery, and three firearm-related offenses. The charges stem from the fatal shooting of 50-year-old Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan last week. The New York Police Department had previously released images of Mangione in connection with the incident.
Mangione was arraigned in Pennsylvania on charges of carrying a firearm without a license, forgery, providing false identification to authorities, and possessing "instruments of crime." As of Tuesday, he was being held at a state correctional facility in Huntington, Pennsylvania, located east of Altoona.
After fellow commentator Harold Ford suggested Mangione "should get the death penalty" for the murder, Watters suggested Mangione should face “justice” in prison, implying Mangione should be killed or sexually assaulted behind bars.
Noting that Mangione is the cousin of a Maryland state delegate, he said:
“This guy was obviously looking for notoriety. And good, he’s got it. Now, he’s a prep school kid. He’s politically connected in Maryland." ...
“This guy’s not ready. He’s way too soft. He’s gonna get annihilated on the inside, and good."
"If he’s not gonna get the death penalty, maybe someone will do him justice behind bars. That’s all I have to say about that.”
Pirro shut him down:
"You should stop there."
Watters responded:
"People say that a lot."
You can watch what happened in the video below.
Watters was condemned for calling for violence.
Thompson was fatally shot outside his Manhattan hotel on Wednesday. Police noted that shell casings at the scene were engraved with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose,” possibly referencing the 2010 book Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.
Reports suggest that Mangione underwent back surgery and may suffer from chronic back pain. Authorities revealed the suspect had written a manifesto criticizing the health insurance industry. Public reactions to Thompson’s killing have varied widely, ranging from condemnation to indifference, and even celebratory responses in some corners.
Mangione's actions appeared to be fueled by anger toward the health insurance industry and broader frustrations with “corporate greed.”
Critics of UnitedHealthcare have pointed out its controversial practices, including the use of algorithms to deny care, and noted that it has the highest claim denial rate among health insurers—factors that have drawn little sympathy from some observers.
