Up First from NPR
Arrest In UnitedHealthcare CEO Killing, Netanyahu Trial, Jay-Z Rape Allegations
Tue, 10 Dec 2024
Police arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He has been charged with second-degree murder. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will testify on Tuesday in his own corruption trial. The start of his defense comes amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. Jay-Z is the latest celebrity to be named in the web of allegations against Sean 'Diddy' Combs. The rapper has been accused of raping a teenage girl more than two decades ago. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Andrea de Leon, James Hider, Otis Hart, HJ Mai and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Ben Abrams. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott and our technical director is Carleigh Strange.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Chapter 1: Who was arrested in the UnitedHealthcare CEO's murder?
Police have arrested a 26-year-old man in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Chapter 2: What charges were brought against Luigi Mangione?
Authorities have charged Luigi Mangione with murder. What do we know about him and any possible motive?
I'm Michelle Martin, that's A. Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will testify today in a fortified courtroom in his own corruption trial. Netanyahu was charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust back in 2019. The start of his defense comes amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. What can we expect from Netanyahu's testimony?
Chapter 3: What can we expect from Netanyahu's trial today?
And Jay-Z is being accused of raping a teenage girl more than two decades ago. The allegation against the rapper was made public in a civil suit against Sean Diddy Combs. That was Jay-Z responding. Stay with us. We've got all the news you need to start your day. We are learning more this morning about Luigi Mangione.
He is the 26-year-old arrested yesterday and charged late last night with murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Thompson was gunned down last week in New York City.
NPR's Brian Mann has been following all of this. So Brian, how did police capture Mangione and why do they think he's a gunman?
Chapter 4: How did police capture the suspect Mangione?
Yeah, so after Brian Thompson was killed last week, the NYPD was able to isolate one surveillance photo, A, that showed part of the suspect's face. They distributed that photo not just in New York City, but nationwide. Yesterday morning, people at a McDonald's restaurant in central Pennsylvania saw a man who resembled that photo. They called local police.
And Altoona, Pennsylvania, patrolman Tyler Fry was among those who arrived to question the man.
Now, it wasn't just the physical resemblance to that photo. Mangione was also allegedly carrying an illegal firearm, false documents, and other evidence that
that police say link him to Thompson's death. So he was arraigned late last night on five relatively low-level state charges in Pennsylvania. Then prosecutors back in Manhattan charged Mangione with second-degree murder along with other crimes.
What are they saying about maybe a possible motive?
You know, we don't know yet why Mangione appeared to target Thompson so deliberately, but speaking yesterday, the NYPD's chief of detectives, Joseph Kenney, said Mangione was carrying a three-page handwritten document that may have detailed some of his motives.
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Chapter 5: What motives might Luigi Mangione have had?
Chapter 6: What are the allegations against Jay-Z?
He is the 26-year-old arrested yesterday and charged late last night with murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Thompson was gunned down last week in New York City.
NPR's Brian Mann has been following all of this. So Brian, how did police capture Mangione and why do they think he's a gunman?
Yeah, so after Brian Thompson was killed last week, the NYPD was able to isolate one surveillance photo, A, that showed part of the suspect's face. They distributed that photo not just in New York City, but nationwide. Yesterday morning, people at a McDonald's restaurant in central Pennsylvania saw a man who resembled that photo. They called local police.
And Altoona, Pennsylvania, patrolman Tyler Fry was among those who arrived to question the man.
Now, it wasn't just the physical resemblance to that photo. Mangione was also allegedly carrying an illegal firearm, false documents, and other evidence that
that police say link him to Thompson's death. So he was arraigned late last night on five relatively low-level state charges in Pennsylvania. Then prosecutors back in Manhattan charged Mangione with second-degree murder along with other crimes.
What are they saying about maybe a possible motive?
You know, we don't know yet why Mangione appeared to target Thompson so deliberately, but speaking yesterday, the NYPD's chief of detectives, Joseph Kenney, said Mangione was carrying a three-page handwritten document that may have detailed some of his motives.
We don't think that there's any specific threats to other people mentioned in that document, but it does seem that he has some ill will toward corporate America.
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Chapter 7: What is happening in Netanyahu's corruption trial?
So I mentioned it's a corruption trial.
What are the charges Netanyahu faces? He's charged with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. There are three separate cases that he is facing. They all involve his dealings with wealthy media moguls, a Hollywood producer, owners of media outlets. He's accused of using his influence as a prime minister to help their business interests.
And in exchange, he's accused of accepting tens of thousands of dollars worth of champagne, cigars... and also secret deals to give him and his family flattering news coverage. What's it like seeing him testify?
And what's his defense?
It is extraordinary. I mean, on the witness stand, he started with an opening speech talking about how the momentous events in Syria means that his aides may need to pass him special notes as he gives his testimony. I mean, it's really extraordinary seeing an acting prime minister on trial in the middle of war. He began by saying the charges are an ocean of absurdity.
He said the only thing that matters is his role as defender of Israel. And when he was asked about the accusations that he sought positive press coverage and got cigars and champagne, he said he does not live a lavish life. He can't finish his cigar because of all the work he does. He says he goes to bed at 1 or 2 a.m. every day.
And about press coverage, he said all he would have to do to get good press coverage would be to say he supports creating a Palestinian state.
So how is Benjamin Netanyahu managing to appear in court while also dealing with Israel's conflicts in the Middle East? I mean, that's a lot to juggle.
Yes, and he says he can juggle it all. I mean, although he did try to delay this day in court for several months, he and his lawyers argued because of the wars and the conflicts Israel is facing on multiple fronts, it should be delayed a couple months. In fact, he was unsuccessful. So he'll be testifying three days a week, six hours a day. It'll last for many weeks.
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Chapter 8: What are the details of the charges against Netanyahu?
That's NPR's Daniel Estrin at the Tel Aviv Courthouse. Daniel, thanks. You're welcome. Jay-Z is the latest celebrity to be named in the web of allegations against Sean Diddy Combs.
The rapper has been accused of raping a 13-year-old girl along with Combs at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty in the year 2000. The lawsuit is one of more than a dozen filed by Texas attorney Tony Busby against Combs, and now Jay-Z is reportedly taking his own legal action against the attorney.
NPR culture reporter Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento has been covering the lawsuits, joins us now. So to be clear, this is not a new lawsuit against Combs. So what's new that Jay-Z is now being accused of participating in the crimes?
That's right. So in October, Texas attorney Tony Busby announced he had more than 100 victims who had come forward with allegations against Combs. He's filed more than a dozen of those lawsuits already, all of them on behalf of unnamed plaintiffs.
One of those lawsuits alleges that in September of 2000, Combs and an unnamed male celebrity raped a 13-year-old girl at the VMA's afterparty while a female celebrity stood by and watched. On Sunday, that lawsuit was amended and refiled. to say that Jay-Z, whose real name is Sean Carter, was the male celebrity who took part in that rape.
And I want to reiterate that the allegations against Jay-Z are part of a civil suit filed against Sean Combs. Jay-Z is not facing any criminal charges.
Okay, so what's Jay-Z saying then?
So Jay-Z issued a statement to NPR saying that these claims are completely false. He publicly called Busby, quote, an ambulance chaser in a cheap suit and said that Busby attempted to blackmail him to extort settlement money. He also filed a motion for the anonymous lawsuit to be dismissed or for the plaintiff's identity to be disclosed.
Jay-Z's reps confirmed to NPR that he is in the process of taking action against Busby.
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