"Doesn't Luigi's family have money?" — Netizens react to Luigi Mangione's lawyer saying people are offering to pay for his client's legal bills

Luigi Mangione, the alleged suspect accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has received overwhelming support on social media following his arrest. The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate was apprehended at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania on December 9, five days after Thompson was shot in Midtown Manhattan.

In a recent interview, Thomas Dickey, Mangione's attorney, revealed that several people have reached out to help pay for his client's legal fees. The 26-year-old faces a murder charge in NY.

Speaking with CNN on December 10, Dickey said his office received emails from people willing to pay Luigi Mangione's legal fees. When asked if he would accept the payment, the attorney declined, saying it didn't sit right with him. When the reporter asked his opinion on why people were offering to pay, he replied:

"The Supreme Court says all these rich billionaires can give all kind of money to candidates and that’s free speech. So maybe these people were exercising their right to free speech and that's the way they're supporting my client."

According to Newsweek, Dickey's remark was a reference to the 2010 case "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission." During the case, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations should be allowed to unlimitedly fund elections as political donations were considered an "exercise of political free speech."

The clip was met with mixed responses online. Several questioned why people wanted to pay Mangione's legal fees when he came from a wealthy family.

"Doesn't Luigi's family have money? I'd think they would be paying for legal counsel for their son," one tweeted.

Many shared this sentiment, claiming Luigi Mangione's family was wealthier than UHC CEO Brian Thompson.

"The guy's fam is worth more than the guy he hunted down and shot in cold blood. And people want to send him money? Unreal. A bunch of armchair wannabe vigilantes," one person tweeted.

"Folks are seriously out here offering to pay for a rich kid's legal bills?!?!" another person questioned.

Others praised Dickey for his answer, adding Luigi Mangione had a good attorney defending him.

"He couldn’t have given a better answer!" one person posted.

"Whatever you think about the case, that was a perfect answer…" another person added.

"Sounds like Luigi got a good lawyer," someone else commented.

"His client drags healthcare top dogs & he drags justice top dogs. they're a match made in heaven. still rooting for them," another user wrote.

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Luigi Mangione will not be pleading guilty

According to Newsweek, Thomas Dickey said Mangione will plead "not guilty." The alleged perpetrator faces five charges relating to forgery and gun possession in Pennsylvania. He also faces five additional charges, including murder, in New York.

"I hope he pled not guilty. I assume that that's what happened. But today, when I entered my appearance for the record, he's pleading not guilty," Dickey said in a statement to reporters.

Dickey also added his client would contest his extradition to New York. Luigi Mangione attended his extradition hearing on December 10, where a judge gave the prosecutors 30 days to get the warrant from New York Governor Kathy Hochul to proceed with the extradition.

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Following his arrest, Luigi Mangione became an internet sensation. The alleged shooter's public perception has been relatively positive, with many dubbing him a "hero" and calling for his release with #FreeLuigi trending on X.

Luigi Mangione's mugshot led to him being dubbed "hot assassin" as online sleuths tracked the 26-year-old's digital footprint. Netizens also found Mangione's Goodreads, Letterboxd, and social media accounts to learn more about him.