(Maire Clayton, Headline USA) A campaign for Luigi Mangione’s defense fund raised over $130,000 as of Monday.
The GiveSendGo was organized by a group called the December 4th Legal Committee, referring to the day the UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
“We are not here to celebrate violence, but we do believe in the constitutional right of fair legal representation,” the group wrote on the page.
Thousands of anonymous donors contributed to the fund and left messages showing their support for the suspect.
A representative for the crowdfunding site told ABC News the campaign would not be removed.
“While other platforms may choose a different approach, GiveSendGo’s core value is to provide a space where all individuals, no matter their situation, can seek and receive support, with donors making their own informed decisions,” the representative said.
GoFundMe previously stated it does not allow fundraisers for violent crimes and would remove any that are created. Amazon and Etsy also removed items that were being sold in support of Mangione.
The GiveSendGo representative added the company “operates with a principle of not preemptively determining guilt or innocence.”
The December 4th Legal Committee said it is a group of volunteers throughout the United States, according to NBC News.
“Some of us are people who experience the pain and brutality of for-profit healthcare daily, and others of us are experienced providing support to people facing trial,” a spokesperson told the outlet.
Mangione’s lawyer Tom Dickey told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Wednesday he does not believe that his client will accept the donations.
The spokesperson told NBC News they have not yet made contact with Mangione regarding the funds.
“We have sent Luigi a letter describing the fund and sharing message from donors,” the spokesperson continued. “We will wait to hear from him directly to see if he will accept them.”
