Briana Boston, a 42-year-old woman in Lakeland, Florida, became known as the first ‘copycat’ of Luigi Mangione. She was arrested after allegedly telling Blue Cross Blue Shield, ‘Delay, deny, depose. You people are next,’ during a recorded phone call. Following her recently denied the medical claim, Boston lashed out during her call with an insurance agent and used similar words found on the shell casings of the bullets used to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Polk County police charged her with threatening to conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism. The judge set her bond at $100,000, and she could be facing 15 years in prison.
The Murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO
Briana Boston is the first alleged ‘copycat’ of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering CEO Brian Thompson in New York almost 10 days ago. On December 4, 2024, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare was gunned down by a masked assailant. He was pronounced dead at a hospital later that morning. The New York Police Department led a search for the gunman, and after receiving over 400 tips, they came across Luigi Mangione. They arrested him in Pennsylvania on separate charges while questioning him about his whereabouts on December 4. Mangione was officially charged with second-degree murder in New York but has yet to be extradited.
The ‘Copycat’ Health Insurance Assailant
Briana Boston, the alleged ‘copycat,’ did not use the exact words that were found at the crime scene of Thompson, but they were similar enough for her to be perceived as a threat. On December 10, Boston was denied medical claims by her health insurance company, BlueCross BlueShield. After the recorded phone call was over, the insurance agent reported her to the police, who showed up at Boston’s home almost immediately to arrest her. She apologized for her words, but that was not enough. Boston and her lawyer are taking on the defense that she was exercising her right to freedom of speech and that she is facing an overcharge.
Boston did admit to being inspired by Mangione and the current news surrounding him, but this incident should not deem her a ‘copycat.’ Many people have taken to social media to praise what Mangione allegedly did, and he has inspired more than just Briana Boston. After she was arrested, she reportedly told the investigators, “Healthcare companies played games and deserved karma from the world because they are evil.” However, she does not consider herself to be a threat since she does not own a gun. Frankly, no one sees her as a threat based on the positive reactions she is receiving online.
Right to Free Speech
The First Amendment protects our right to free speech. However, there are some restrictions to the amendment. A few things not protected under the First Amendment are incitement, defamation, fighting words, and threats. What Briana Boston said could have been considered a threat to the insurance agent, considering the murder that took place in New York less than two weeks ago. Her arrest can be justifiable. What is unjustifiable is the bond amount set over her arrest. The appropriate bond amount would range in the low thousands, but it does vary based on the threat. A threat that suggests murder could get up to $25,000. However, it should be at most that.
Officials are trying to make an example out of Briana Boston and are doing it unconstitutionally. Her bail has been set higher than necessary to prove a point to the public. There are far more dangerous people who have committed far worse crimes and are roaming the very same streets as she was. For example, Mark Calloway, a former postal worker, was released from jail on his own recognizance after stabbing a lawn care worker to death over a parking situation. This incident took place just outside of Polk County. However, Jacob Whitaker, the victim of the stabbing, is not a millionaire CEO. So, the situation was not dealt with as much care.
Final Thoughts
In no way is the murder of Brian Thompson justifiable. There are better routes that individuals can take to get justice or to get their voices heard. But unfortunately, murder for no reason happens every day in the United States and probably every day in New York alone. Officials are afraid of the revolt that might follow his murder. They are not looking out for the employees of insurance companies or justice for Thompson’s loved ones; they are looking out for themselves. If only they took every murder that happens this seriously and put in the same amount of effort to find the individual responsible and bring justice to everyone.
