(NewsNation) — Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will reportedly be housed in the same New York City jail as rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs.
“He just walked into paradise,” said Gene Borrello, a former organized crime associate who spent 13 years behind bars, including at BMDC and Rikers Island.
Mangione will be at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center. Some previously suspected Mangione may have been booked at Rikers Island jail.
“Rikers Island is an absolute hell hole… It’s the most violent jail in the country,” Borrello said on NewsNation’s “Banfield” Thursday night. “So he actually got lucky. He should be happy the feds came and got him because he’s going to be in a much safer place.”
Borrello said he thinks Mangione will be in the 4 North unit, which is also where Diddy is.
“It’s going to be with a whole bunch of other high-profile people with no violence going on,” Borrello said, but if he’s housed with the general population, then “he’s going to be dealing with a lot of gang members. They all hate murder.”
Could Mangione face the death penalty?
Mangione was extradited to New York Thursday facing 11 federal criminal charges, including first-degree murder, and could face the death penalty.
“I have rarely seen the kind of support pretrial for somebody charged with murder that there is for this young man,” said criminal attorney Mark Geragos, whose daughter works for the law firm representing Diddy and Mangione.
“The polling I’ve seen… this guy has support exceeding 40% in people under 30. It’s astonishing,” Geragos said, referring to an Emerson College poll that found 41% of people ages 18-29 think Mangione’s actions were “acceptable.”
Geragos said he thinks the death penalty is “entirely likely,” but it could be a difficult task for prosecutors in federal court in New York City, which is traditionally “anti-death penalty.”
Shooting of Brian Thompson
Brian Thompson, 50, was fatally shot just before 7 a.m. Dec. 4 in front of a Hilton hotel while walking to UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor meeting in New York City.
The words “deny,” “depose” and “defend” were written on bullet shell casings found at the scene. It is an apparent reference to the title of the book “Delay, Deny, Defend,” which covers ways insurance companies reject requests for medical coverage deemed necessary by doctors.
Authorities arrested Mangione at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania on Dec. 9. With him at the time were a mask, firearm, suppressor and fake New Jersey ID that connected him to the shooting, police said.
Mangione also had a manifesto and a spiral notebook with a “to-do” list. In the manifesto, Mangione wrote that he acted alone and that he “apologizes for any strife or traumas, but it had to be done.”
“Frankly, these parasites had it coming,” he wrote.
Mangione case reactions
Thompson’s death and Mangione’s arrest have sparked strong reactions both online and in real life.
Before Thursday’s hearing, some supporters of Mangione were at the courthouse holding signs saying “Luigi the people hear you,” “Murder for profit is terrorism” and “Free Luigi.”
At the Altoona McDonald’s where police arrested Mangione, employees told NewsNation they hired security guards after they received death threats.
Those who live near that McDonald’s say the arrest was quiet, and they had no idea what was happening until it showed up on the news.
NewsNation’s Brooke Shafer, Alex Caprariello and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
