What's Happening

US News

Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO Killing Charged With Murder

What's going on: Last night, Manhattan prosecutors charged 26-year-old Luigi Mangione with murder, forgery, and gun charges in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to online court records. The update came hours after a tip led police to Mangione at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he was arrested and arraigned on separate charges, including possessing an instrument of crime. Police said Mangione was carrying a ghost gun with a silencer and multiple fake IDs — including the one used to check into a New York hostel. He also had a handwritten manifesto criticizing corporate America and appearing to reference UnitedHealthcare. He wrote, “These parasites simply had it coming,” echoing sentiments found on the bullet casings recovered at the scene. Mangione’s arrest came the same day a funeral was held for Thompson.

What it means: The charges against Mangione mark an end to a days-long manhunt that gripped the nation’s attention and highlighted a growing frustration with America’s health care system. As authorities work to extradite Mangione to New York, many are digging into his background (including his LinkedIn, posts on X, and reading list — which showed a four-star Goodreads review of The Unabomber Manifesto). Friends said Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from Maryland, suffered from debilitating back pain and underwent surgery for it. In a statement, his family said they are “shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest.” A representative for UnitedHealth Group said they hope the arrest brings “some relief to Brian’s family, friends, colleagues, and the many others affected by this unspeakable tragedy.”

Related: How the Internet Reacted to Luigi Mangione’s Arrest (Newsweek)

Legal

Daniel Penny Found Not Guilty in the Death of Jordan Neely

What's going on: Yesterday, a jury acquitted Daniel Penny of criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely, a 30-year-old Black man who was experiencing homelessness and had a history of mental illness. Neely died last year after Penny, a white Marine veteran, put him in a minutes-long chokehold on the New York City subway. During the weeks-long trial, Penny’s lawyers argued he acted to protect other passengers from Neely’s erratic behavior on the subway, and that there was no way to know what caused Neely’s death. Prosecutors said Penny might have been justified to respond but acted recklessly after it was clear Neely was no longer a threat. Penny also faced a second-degree manslaughter charge, but the judge dismissed it Friday after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict. 

What it means: The case divided the nation along political, and even racial lines. The right rallied behind Penny, framing him as a good samaritan unfairly prosecuted by NYC Democrats. (It didn’t help that the Manhattan district attorney handling the case is the same one who brought hush money charges against President-elect Donald Trump.) Many on the left expressed disappointment with the acquittal, saying that Penny held zero respect for Neely’s life. For subway riders in New York City, the case served as another stark reminder of the violence and decay in the public transit system. Others contended that Neely, a man with a history of mental health struggles, was failed by the system. 

Related: Jordan Neely’s Father Is Suing Daniel Penny (The Guardian)

Social Media

B**ch, Don't Steal My Vibe (Copyright Edition)  

What's going on: You copied me — if you were ever a 13-year-old, you know this is an extremely serious allegation. But in the adult world, it’s arguably even more intense…imitate the wrong thing too closely, and you could be sued for copyright infringement. But is it possible to copyright a “vibe”? That’s exactly the question at the heart of a legal case — one of the first of its kind, per one expert — involving two beige-clad influencers, known for their minimalist aesthetics. Sydney Gifford copyrighted her social media posts earlier this year after noticing similarities between her content and influencer Alyssa Sheil’s. Gifford says some of Sheil’s posts are suspiciously similar to hers, causing confusion among her followers and costing her business. But Sheil’s lawyers say, even if the look and tone of their images are similar, Gifford’s gripe is unenforceable under copyright law “because the complaint only alleges the creation of similar images — not the reproduction of identical ones.” The jury is still out (though the commenters have thoughts).

What it means: In some ways, this case conflicts with the core idea of being an influencer — which is to, well, influence. Creators post with the hope that others will buy the same Stanley cup, cardigan, or Tupperware set, and maybe share the content on their own feeds. Trends wouldn’t be trends without replication. We also live in an online ecosystem that tends to reward homogeneity — just look at hashtags, which encourage us to use the exact same language so our posts can be grouped with similar ones. But things get tricky anytime money is involved, and, in this case, Gifford claims that stealing her vibe is akin to stealing her business — a complaint some say could hold up in court. If it does, that might cause a major disruption to the influencing economy, impacting livelihoods and social behavior in unforeseeable ways (one study from an influencer-marketing firm says that women account for up to 85% of influencer sponsorships, and likely would be most affected). 

Related: Speaking of Imitation…Is Creativity Dead? (NYT Opinion Gift Link)