Entertainment is scarce in his isolated cell.
The man charged with the murder of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson is reportedly permitted an MP3 player, allowing him to buy songs if money is added to his prison account.
Luigi Mangione is currently held at a notorious federal detention center in Brooklyn, New York, facing charges for the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a hotel in New York on December 4. Mangione was captured in Pennsylvania after a McDonald’s employee recognized him in the restaurant days following Thompson’s murder and was subsequently extradited back to New York City.
The 26-year-old has been charged with the murder of Brian Thompson and pleaded not guilty in court on December 23. He faces multiple charges from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, including first- and second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, possessing a forged driver’s license, and murder as an act of terrorism.
Mangione’s attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, has stated they intend to “fight these changes to the fullest extent, whether in state or federal court.”
Meanwhile, Mangione is being held in a special housing unit in “administrative segregation” at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn. According to TMZ, his high profile status makes him a potential target among other inmates, necessitating his separation from the general prison population for his safety.
In an interview with PageSix, prison consultant Sam Mangel described Mangione’s living situation as a “small solitary-confinement cell.” Another prison expert told the US Sun that Mangione will likely face stringent regulations, including an “anti-psychotic diet.”
Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, now shares the prison with Sean “Diddy” Combs, who was sent to confinement earlier this year on charges related to sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. Unlike Mangione, Diddy is reportedly allowed to mix with the general population within the facility.
Sources told TMZ that while Mangione is housed in a single cell, the cells are so closely arranged that inmates can frequently communicate with each other. However, opportunities for free movement and entertainment are minimal in this restricted part of the prison.
Mangione is allowed a maximum of one hour a day outside his cell in the outdoor recreation pen, where he can stretch his legs. The large cage provides some freedom, letting inmates move around uncuffed and use equipment such as a basketball or stationary bicycle.
As for entertainment, TMZ reports that there are no televisions in the segregation unit, meaning Mangione likely has little to occupy his time during the day. However, he can allegedly purchase an MP3 player loaded with songs through the prison’s commissary, provided someone adds money to his account.
Inmates are limited to spending $350 per month at the jail’s “shop,” although they receive a $100 allowance for the holidays.
The Maryland native is set to appear in court again on February 21.
