TMZ.com
Luigi Mangione might be facing serious charges, but outside court, you’d think he was a rockstar — with a wild crowd of supporters turning up ahead of his arraignment hearing Friday.
The scene outside NYC federal court was flooded with “Free Luigi” advocates who treated the accused like a hero — but not everyone was on board, with one fiery protester stepping up to blast the crowd for glorifying a man accused of murder.
Supporters were out with signs and some in Luigi video game character dress-up — making it crystal clear they believe Luigi’s alleged actions were justified, pointing to the countless lives they claim have been lost due to corrupt health insurance practices.
With the death penalty possibly on the table in his trial, some Luigi loyalists shifted focus — hoisting signs demanding its total abolition.
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For the most part, the crowd seemed to be vibing on the same pro-Luigi frequency — which is probably why artist Scott LoBaido rolled in with security, especially since he brought along a skeleton dummy dressed as a Luigi video game icon strapped to an electric chair.
He slammed the supporters as “jobless” and “soulless” — calling out what he saw as the wild irony in glorifying a man accused of murder while forgetting the victim, a father of two.
Luigi’s due in court today for arraignment, facing four serious federal charges — including murder with a firearm, two counts of stalking, and a weapons charge for allegedly using a silencer.
As you know … Mangione was cuffed back in December, just days after he allegedly gunned down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in cold blood on a quiet NYC street early one morning.
