Convicted of the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, Brian Thompson, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione is facing Christmas in the custody of Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center. The federal facility has been highlighted to have abysmal conditions and as such, increases the gravitas of Mangione’s state. This holiday, Mangione is far from experiencing festivities that most people experience.
Inside MDC: Brutal Reality
Mangione was sent to MDC after his arrest in Altoona, Pa., on Dec. 9 and subsequent extradition to New York on Dec. 19. Mangione’s charges related to murder and terrorism in connection with the Dec. 4 shooting of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel have become highly publicized.
His mattress, he said, is at most 2 inches thick, with a slight slant at one end that serves as a pillow. Detainees at MDC, which has held celebrities including Sean “Diddy” Combs and Sam Bankman-Fried, sleep on such mattresses as well as other Spartan conditions which have been criticized for leading to inhumane living conditions.
A Modest Holiday Meal
On Christmas Day, Mangione will be fed a sparse meal of Cornish hen and green beans, just like other inmates. If he is in protective custody, Mangione will be alone in his cell for the holiday, his meals pushed through a sliding window. On the other hand, if he is transferred to the unit in which other high-profile inmates stay, then he can share the day with them in common rooms, which might include watching sports or playing board games.
Facilities also have staff give out small holiday bags with goodies inside: hot chocolate, cinnamon buns, and eggnog. These small indulgences are an uncommon break from the routine and provide a minor sense of normalcy during the festive season.
Reflections Amid Isolation
Christmas in prison is often one of those times that finds many inmates reflecting on how Christmas used to be and life outside the prison system. For Mangione, the season stands in marked contrast to the life he knew. Even the bleakness is somewhat lightened by shared memories and stories in common rooms, which take them out of their confinement, at least in their minds.
MDC has long been denounced over conditions including overcrowding, scant resources, and poor healthcare. Calls for reform within the federal prison system have recently gotten louder as MDC has gained increased media attention- particularly with the arrival of a handful of high-profile detainees.
As Mangione awaits trial, his experience underlines the bigger conversation about the condition of being incarcerated and what spending holidays behind bars is like. While to many, the season may bring warmth and joy, for people like Mangione, it is an ice-cold reminder.
