UPenn Professor Faces Backlash Over Comments Supporting Murder Suspect

Julia Alekseyeva, a UPenn professor, retracts her social media posts praising Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Pennsylvania Congressman Dan Meuser has demanded the University of Pennsylvania fire Professor Julia Alekseyeva after her social media posts praised Luigi Mangione, who is charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Alekseyeva referred to Mangione as 'the icon we all need and deserve' and posted celebratory videos, which she has since deleted and apologized for, calling them 'insensitive and inappropriate.'
The University of Pennsylvania has condemned Alekseyeva’s comments as inconsistent with its values but has not issued a statement regarding Mangione’s arrest or Thompson’s death.
Congressman Meuser has warned that the university’s handling of the situation could impact future federal research funding, which totaled $936 million in 2023.
Mangione, a 2020 UPenn graduate, was arrested in Pennsylvania and faces extradition to New York on charges of shooting Thompson during a visit to Manhattan for a corporate event.