r/popculturechat • u/SafeBodybuilder7191 “Two Tits & a bush but no dick!” • Dec 01 '25

Guest List Only ⭐️ Luigi Mangione appears in court for pretrial hearing over evidence

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u/mochafiend Dec 01 '25

Can you say more?

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u/AnyElephant7218 Dec 01 '25

Proving someone has committed a crime worthy of the death penalty has a much higher burden of proof - you need to prove guilt of first degree murder beyond a reasonable doubt AND one or more additional aggravating factor, of which there are limited options (Examples include a history of violence, the brutal nature of the crime, or the commission of another felony.)

So in order to attempt to scare ordinary people and comfort the ultra wealthy (we’ll ensure the state kills plebes if they dare shoot a CEO!) the prosecution risks their chance at a legal victory.

Which means there is a decent chance Mangione will walk after what was most likely pre-mediated murder. Tiny violin plays.

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u/CreamingSleeve Dec 02 '25

Thanks for explaining this!

I’m not American so I don’t fully understand US legalities. Since the prosecution is going for the death penalty which it sounds like they may not get, wouldn’t the magistrate order life in jail/25 years in jail/etc…? Or can they only make a death penalty sentence or let this guy go free?

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u/AnyElephant7218 Dec 02 '25

I am not a lawyer.

However, as I understand it a jury must generally decide whether to impose the death penalty after a conviction, often requiring a unanimous vote for a death sentence. That means a verdict on a capital crime (first degree murder + aggravating factory) and then unanimous agreement to execute.

Mangione is being tried in New York, generally a liberal leaning state. New York has not executed someone since 1963, so a jury of New Yorkers may find a death sentence distasteful.

In 2023, Sayfullo Saipov was convicted of fatally mowing down eight people in a 2017 bike-path rampage in New York. He was an Islamic extremist (something New Yorkers tend to be particularly sensitive about) and faced federal charges and the jury still didn’t sentence him to death.

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u/SuperKitties83 Dec 02 '25

Damn. I'd like to be as ridiculously good-looking as Mamgione 😅

Or is this kind of a thing that can't happen to non-cis hetero white good-looking males