To be clear, we’re not talking here about social media conspiracies about the shooting, such as those linking Luigi Mangione’s Pokemon of choice with insurance claim denial codes. Pollsters at the nonpartisan research organization NORC at the University of Chicago interviewed 1,001 adults between December 12-16, asking them first about their familiarity with the case. Of those, 39 percent said they had heard “a lot,” while an improbable 9 percent said they’d heard nothing at all.
A crowd of protesters stood outside during the proceedings, many with signs bearing slogans critical of UnitedHealth and other large insurance companies, a scene that certainly underscores the sentiments of the poll-takers. During the hearing, defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo expressed concerns about Mangione’s ability to get a fair trial, citing his well-documented arrival in New York.