The High-Security Theater That’s Making Luigi Mangioni Untouchable

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Confluence Daily is your daily news source for women in the know.

By:  Lisa M. Hayes

It’s not hard to see what New York prosecutors are trying to do with Luigi Mangioni. They’ve thrown everything at him—charges stacked high, dramatic courthouse lockdowns, and public statements that paint him as the embodiment of corruption and chaos. But here’s the problem: the harder they try to make Mangioni look like a villain, the more popular he becomes.

 

Mangioni isn’t just a defendant. He’s a populist icon, and every misstep prosecutors make feeds directly into his carefully curated image as a champion of the people standing up to a corrupt system. The high-security theater surrounding his case isn’t just ineffective—it’s actively making it harder to convict him.

 

The Backfire of High-Security Theater

Prosecutors likely thought they were sending a message by treating Mangioni’s court appearances like high-stakes national security events. Barricades, heavy police presences, and even hints of potential violence have been rolled out to emphasize the seriousness of the charges.

 

Instead of making Mangioni look guilty, it’s doing the opposite. To his supporters, the imagery of police checkpoints and courthouse lockdowns doesn’t scream “justice being served”—it screams persecution.

Here’s how this approach is backfiring:

1. Turning Mangioni Into a Martyr:
2. Every metal detector, barricade, and heavily armed guard is spun by Mangioni as proof that the “deep state” is out to get him. His supporters see him not as a criminal but as a victim of overreach by an out-of-control system.
3. Shifting Focus Away From the Facts:
4. The more dramatic the visuals, the less attention is paid to the actual charges. Instead of public discussions about evidence or testimony, the media becomes consumed by the spectacle—turning the case into a circus rather than a sober legal proceeding.
5. Reinforcing Populist Narratives:
6. Populists like Mangioni thrive on the “us vs. them” narrative. High-security measures make it easy for him to claim that he’s fighting not just for himself but for everyone who feels alienated by the system.

Over-Charging: A Strategic Misstep

As if the high-security theatrics weren’t enough, prosecutors have compounded their problem by over-charging Mangioni. Instead of focusing on a few strong, airtight charges, they’ve thrown the book at him—bringing charges so broad and numerous that they almost seem desperate.

This strategy plays right into Mangioni’s hands. Here’s why:

1. It Feeds the “Witch Hunt” Narrative:
2. Mangioni’s team has weaponized the overcharging to argue that prosecutors are grasping at straws. To his base, it looks like they couldn’t settle on what he did wrong, so they accused him of everything under the sun.
3. Weak Charges Dilute Strong Ones:
4. By bringing a wide range of charges—including some that seem flimsy—prosecutors risk undermining their strongest arguments. When jurors or the public see charges that don’t hold up, it casts doubt on the entire case.
5. It Looks Like They’re Out for Revenge:
6. Rather than appearing impartial, prosecutors come across as vindictive. This allows Mangioni to position himself as a fighter against a biased system—a narrative that energizes his supporters and muddies the legal waters.

Is This Incompetence or Intentional?

At this point, you have to wonder: do prosecutors even want to win this case? Their approach has been so heavy-handed, so poorly calibrated, that it almost feels deliberate.

• They’ve allowed Mangioni to turn every court appearance into a spectacle, feeding his martyrdom narrative.
• They’ve created a media frenzy that draws attention away from the facts of the case and onto Mangioni’s political theatrics.
• They’ve overcharged him to the point where the case looks less like a pursuit of justice and more like a vendetta.

If prosecutors are serious about convicting Mangioni, they’re doing a terrible job of showing it.

What Should They Be Doing Instead?

To prosecute someone like Luigi Mangioni, you need a strategy that’s as precise as it is disciplined. Populists are experts at turning the legal system into their stage, and the more dramatic the proceedings, the more they thrive.

 

Here’s what prosecutors should do to turn the tide:

1. Dial Back the Spectacle:
2. High-security measures should be invisible, not front and center. The less dramatic the visuals, the less fuel Mangioni has to claim persecution.
3. Focus on Fewer, Stronger Charges:
4. Drop the overreach and focus on the most serious, well-documented crimes. A streamlined case is harder to spin and easier for jurors to follow.
5. Control the Narrative:
6. Prosecutors need to shift the focus back to the evidence. Public statements and briefings should emphasize facts, not emotions. Avoid inflammatory rhetoric that feeds into Mangioni’s claims of bias.
7. Avoid Overplaying Their Hand:
8. Mangioni’s popularity thrives on the perception that he’s being unfairly targeted. Prosecutors should avoid strategies that make it easy for him to claim he’s being treated unjustly.

The Bigger Picture

The Luigi Mangioni case isn’t just about one man—it’s a case study in how the justice system struggles to handle populist figures. Mangioni has masterfully turned every misstep into an opportunity, building his brand while prosecutors fumble with heavy-handed strategies that play into his hands.

 

If they don’t recalibrate soon, the outcome of this case could be disastrous—not just for the prosecutors but for the public’s faith in the justice system. Because every time a populist walks free, it sends a dangerous message: that the law can be bent and twisted by those who know how to manipulate it.

 

Justice doesn’t need theater—it needs precision. And until New York prosecutors understand that, Luigi Mangioni will keep winning, both in the courtroom and in the public eye.

 

---

Lisa Hayes is a life coach, writer, and editor of Confluence Daily, specializing in social issues, political issues, and mental health. Her work has appeared in publications like Huffington Post and  Real Simple. She is also the Communications Director for a local fire department in Mexico and runs a life coach training program called The Coaching Guild.