Nearly 30 percent of registered voters say they believe the fatal shooting of a UnitedHealthcare executive was wrong but "understand" the alleged killer's frustration, highlighting deep-seated resentment over the U.S. health insurance industry, Newsweek reported.
Nearly 30 percent of registered voters believe the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was wrong, yet "understand" Luigi Mangione's, the suspect charged with Thompson's murder, alleged anger at the health insurance company, according to a new USA Today/Suffolk University poll.
Reactions have polarized Americans after a significant portion of the public indicated sympathy for the 26-year-old.
Some see Mangione as a folk hero, reflecting anger and frustration with private health insurers. Others denounce him for a crime that could lead to life imprisonment or the death penalty if he is convicted.
Since Mangione was first charged with murder and terrorism in connection with Thompson's Dec. 4 killing in New York City, support has flooded social media, including comments about his appearance and portrayals of him as a martyr.
He has pleaded not guilty to state and federal murder and weapon charges and is held at a federal prison in Brooklyn after being extradited from Pennsylvania.
The poll conducted from Jan. 7 to 11 found that 28.50 percent of registered voters believe the shooting was wrong but "understand the alleged shooter's anger with the healthcare system." Meanwhile, 64.60 percent say the shooter should be "prosecuted to the full extent of the law." The survey included 1,000 registered voters by landline and cellphone with a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points.
Another recent poll by College Pulse showed that if Mangione is found guilty, 32 percent of college students think he should be sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole, 14 percent favor life without parole, 26 percent favor a fixed-term sentence, two percent support the death penalty, and the rest selected "other" or "no opinion."
A NORC at the University of Chicago poll found about seven in 10 adults believe that insurer profits or coverage denials played "a great deal" or "moderate amount" of responsibility for Thompson's murder.
Roughly eight in 10 adults said Mangione bears a "great deal" or "moderate amount" of blame.
"With the Mangione posts, we're seeing a form of publishing related to a broader societal dissatisfaction with the status quo," Dr. Cliff Lampe of the University of Michigan told Newsweek.
"With both increased income inequality and at least a perceived sense of lack of agency around corporate power, people turn to social media expression to vent and engage in a flexible dialog about societal issues. Through darkly humorous posts, expressions of admiration, sarcasm, and other forms of rhetoric, people are rebuilding a sense of agency by reacting to their personal audiences."
"People like Luigi Mangione become folk heroes when people feel powerless against systems they feel have failed them," said Susan Campbell, distinguished lecturer at the University of New Haven.
Mangione remains in custody without bail. Prosecutors say federal and state cases will proceed concurrently, with a state trial likely occurring first. His next state court appearance is set for Feb. 21.