Mangione Says He Listened to Taylor Swift in Jail

Luigi Mangione, 27, is accused in the December 2024 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges. In a handwritten June 3 letter from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, Mangione says he downloaded Taylor Swift and Charli XCX songs onto his commissary tablet to “see what all the hype was about,” and that he listened to Swift’s “Cardigan” while walking laps. He says a fellow inmate known as “King” scolded him, replaced his playlist, and now he listens to Lil Durk’s “Dis Ain’t What U Want.” The note was shared by a supporter online and has been authenticated by some outlets, including TMZ, but Mangione’s legal team says it cannot verify the authenticity of letters or emails attributed to him. Reports say MDC Brooklyn inmates can buy internet-free tablets and that Mangione has been allowed a laptop for case preparation; two state charges against him were dismissed earlier this year, and federal prosecutors have indicated they may seek the death penalty if he is convicted.