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Lorena O’Neil

@lorenaoneil.com
16K followers 1.8K following 342 posts

NOLA freelancer reporting on repro health, politics, culture, tech Contributing writer at Rolling Stone & nonprofit newsroom @lailluminator.bsky.social Bylines: The Guardian, Elle, The LA Times, Marie Claire, Jezebel www.lorenaoneil.com

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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 17/08/2026
I spoke with friends of Luigi Mangione's about his guilty plea on Friday: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
'Deeply Emotional': Luigi Mangione's Friends React to His Guilty Plea
Luigi Mangione confessed to stalking and killing United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. This is what how his friends reacted to his guilty plea
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 16/08/2026
Yesterday, Luigi Mangione managed to take some digs at the healthcare insurance industry while pleading guilty to stalking and killing Brian Thompson www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
“In November of 2024, I traveled from outside of New York State to Manhattan,” continued Mangione. “I then emailed UnitedHealthcare leadership posing as an investor at a firm managing over $50 billion in assets and requesting information about the conference. Unlike my previous interactions with insurers, I received an immediate response within an hour.”
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 13/08/2026
Don't want this to get lost. Basically if Luigi Mangione pleads guilty tomorrow in federal court — either by plea deal or just open plea — Manhattan DA could try to push to convict him on a firearms charge in state.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 14/08/2026
On double jeopardy, Luigi Mangione, and a possible guilty plea today
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 14/08/2026
I've been reporting on Luigi Mangione since his arrest following the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. In March 2025 I published a deep dive profile on Mangione for @rollingstone.com www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
The Life and Mystery of Luigi Mangione
How Luigi Mangione, an Ivy League grad accused of the United Healthcare CEO shooting, became one of the most debated murder suspects in recent history
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 14/08/2026
Yes, the death penalty-related charge was dropped in January
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 14/08/2026
There were long press/public lines for Luigi Mangione’s federal hearing in NYC early this morning, where he’s expected to plea guilty to stalking United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson
A long line of press outside of federal court in NYC
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 13/08/2026
Don't want this to get lost. Basically if Luigi Mangione pleads guilty tomorrow in federal court — either by plea deal or just open plea — Manhattan DA could try to push to convict him on a firearms charge in state.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 13/08/2026
Luigi Mangione might be pleading guilty tomorrow in federal court, but what does that mean for his state murder trial in September? I spoke with lawyers about double jeopardy and potential next steps: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
What Happens If Luigi Mangione Pleads Guilty in Federal Court Tomorrow?
Lawyers weigh in on how a federal plea deal could affect his upcoming state trial for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 31/07/2026
For the past few weeks I've been in and out of Ocean Springs, MS reporting on the community's search for Nolan Wells: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult... @rollingstone.com
rollingstone.com
Inside the Desperate Search for Nolan Wells
Before the teenager’s July 4 disappearance became national news, friends, family, and volunteers from the United Cajun Navy tried to find the teen
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 12/07/2026
I spoke with a close friend of Nolan Wells, Tracestin Shepherd, who is clearing up what that viral video of a fight is about: “In that video, you hear somebody yelling — that is me." www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
What Really Happened in the Last Known Video of Nolan Wells: 'It's Me Yelling'
One of Nolan Xavier Wells’ close friends says he’s the person on the boat who can be heard shouting in the viral video circulating online
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 12/07/2026
I spoke with a close friend of Nolan Wells, Tracestin Shepherd, who is clearing up what that viral video of a fight is about: “In that video, you hear somebody yelling — that is me." www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
What Really Happened in the Last Known Video of Nolan Wells: 'It's Me Yelling'
One of Nolan Xavier Wells’ close friends says he’s the person on the boat who can be heard shouting in the viral video circulating online
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 09/07/2026
MS people: I'm reporting on Nolan Wells for @rollingstone.com if you have any information you'd like to share my signal is lorenaoneil.64 and DMS are open
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 19/05/2026
My dispatch from today at court for Luigi Mangione’s evidence suppression hearing decision. Includes legal expert commentary. www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
Luigi Mangione's Alleged Gun and Notebook Allowed Into Evidence at Murder Trial
The judge also threw out evidence in what he said was an unlawful search of Mangione’s backpack as experts weigh in on what the decision means.
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Eileen Clancy 🧿 @clancyny.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Lorena O'Neil's latest ..., @lorenaoneil.com
Photo of Mangione arriving in NYC off a plane, wearing an orange jumpsuit surrounded by a massive amount of cops and feds.

caption: Luigi Mangione, suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, arrives in New York City, December 2024.

📸: credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

RS Reports
Luigi Mangione, Copycat Crimes, and the Rise of Political Violence
Experts weigh in on the complex nature of copycat crimes and why political violence is on the rise

By Lorena O’Neil

May 11, 2026
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 11/05/2026
I spoke with criminologists about the theory that Luigi Mangione has inspired “copycat crimes” www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
Luigi Mangione, Copycat Crimes, and the Rise of Political Violence
Experts weigh in on the complex nature of copycat crimes and why political violence is on the rise
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Kathleen Bachynski @bachynski.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
“Measles is basically a canary in the coal mine for our entire system,” says Dr. Scott Harris, the state health officer in Alabama’s Department of Public Health. “When it surges like this, it signals that our vaccination programs are starting to fail, and that other diseases won’t be far behind.”
nytimes.com
Opinion | Measles Is Back. It’s a Sign Worse Is Coming.
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Suresh Venkatasubramanian @geomblog.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
The broader tech backlash in the light of the attack on Sam Altman's house and why we need more guardrails for AI, by @lorenaoneil.com. With quotes from @alondra.bsky.social, @safiyanoble.bsky.social and me, among others. www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
The 'Techlash' Against AI Is Here. Have We Hit a Tipping Point?
As backlash against AI increases, it has also turned violent, unveiling a deep mistrust of a system that would benefit from guardrails, say experts.
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Alondra Nelson @alondra.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Data centers are a physical manifestation of AI infrastructure and they've become a flashpoint precisely because they're tractable. They exist in specific places, consume specific resources, can be seen and pointed to. I spoke with @lorenaoneil.com @rollingstone.com about our urgent AI reckoning.
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Susan Kaye Quinn is Writing Solarpunk 🌞🌱 @susankayequinn.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
"what’s changed is that the public has developed both the vocabulary and the lived experience to name what’s bothering them,”
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 16/04/2026
I wrote about the celebratory reaction to the rash of violent acts against Sam Altman and AI, and how it reflects the public’s growing anger and resentment against AI companies, data centers, and tech billionaires: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
The 'Techlash' Against AI Is Here. Have We Hit a Tipping Point?
As backlash against AI increases, it has also turned violent, unveiling a deep mistrust of a system that would benefit from guardrails, say experts.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 16/04/2026
I wrote about the celebratory reaction to the rash of violent acts against Sam Altman and AI, and how it reflects the public’s growing anger and resentment against AI companies, data centers, and tech billionaires: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
The 'Techlash' Against AI Is Here. Have We Hit a Tipping Point?
As backlash against AI increases, it has also turned violent, unveiling a deep mistrust of a system that would benefit from guardrails, say experts.
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jenna newman phd @jennanewman.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
“the way [these companies]have designed it, the bones of social media, is inherently unhealthy to kids…they’ll scroll &scroll until the wee hrs of the AM. Dev’ing brains need a lot of sleep, &so if a kid’s only getting 3 or 4 hrs of sleep/pm, it has ramifications that are completely debilitating.”🛟🧪
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 27/03/2026
I spoke with one of the plaintiff's attorneys in the social media addiction trial about what comes next and how this $6 million verdict could impact tech companies www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
Social Media Addiction Lawyer on Landmark Trial: 'Social Media Is Inherently Unhealthy for Kids'
Emily Jeffcott, one of the lawyers for the plaintiff, on why this trial was so significant — and what happens next.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 26/03/2026
UPDATED with @aoc.bsky.social comments: "We must sound the alarm now — because this surveillance of the American people is not going to stop. We must stop it. All of this harm has occurred, not in spite of, but because of the absence of federal legislation to regulate AI.”
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 26/03/2026
UPDATED w/@aoc.bsky.social's comments: "We must sound the alarm now — because this surveillance of the American people is not going to stop. We must stop it. All of this harm has occurred, not in spite of, but because of the absence of federal legislation to regulate AI.”
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Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 25/03/2026
“We cannot sit back and allow a handful of billionaire Big Tech oligarchs to make decisions that will reshape our economy, our democracy and the future of humanity." Story: www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 25/03/2026
Today @sanders.senate.gov is introducing an AI data center moratorium bill in the senate, and @aoc.bsky.social will be following suit in the house as they call for more AI regulation to protect Americans and the environment www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol... @rollingstone.com
rollingstone.com
Bernie Sanders and AOC Want to Pump the Brakes on AI Development
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are introducing legislation aimed at slowing down the development of AI data centers.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 18/03/2026
It's dangerous for civilians AND for troops to dismiss guardrails on AI as bureaucracy and speed toward modernization without safety, experts tell me. “You have a Pentagon, under Hegseth’s leadership, that is increasingly dismantling accountability structures." www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
The Military Is Ramping Up AI. Experts Say It's Putting Civilians -- and Troops -- At Risk
A report raises concerns with how few guardrails there are for advanced weaponry, as the Department of Defense demands billions for new systems.
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Punch & Judy @punch-and-judy.bsky.social · 08/03/2026
“We have reached a level of realism in video, audio, and image deepfakes that for most people, it is not discernible from fact” Thanks to @gmpinglish.bsky.social for posting. #AI #Photography
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 11/03/2026
I spoke with experts about the future of AI in warfare and how the Anthropic lawsuit plays in to all of this: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult... @rollingstone.com
rollingstone.com
What the Anthropic Lawsuit Means for the Future of AI in Warfare
The company told the Department of Defense that their LLM wasn't ready to be used in fully autonomous weapons — and the government wasn't pleased.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 06/03/2026
AI experts explain the harmful impact of manipulated images in the fog of war: “It’s become very sophisticated and a critical part of geopolitics” www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
rollingstone.com
The Latest Weapon in the Iran War Is AI-Generated Misinformation
Rolling Stone talked to AI experts about the harmful impact of manipulated images in the fog of war.
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 27/02/2026
Trump: "Maybe we do one more term. Should we? Do one more term! We're entitled to it."
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Sahil Kapur @sahilkapur.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
Radiohead is demanding that the Trump administration take down a pro-ICE promotional video featuring a version of its song “Let Down” without permission. Full statement from the band:
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Dr. Dawn Wright @deepseadawn.bsky.social · 27/02/2026
"Private money cannot replace public funding of science" Thank you @naomioreskes.bsky.social www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... 🧪 🌊 ⚒️ #scipol
science.org
Private money cannot replace public funding of science
Who should pay for American science? In the current political climate, many are looking to the private sector to compensate for cuts in public funding. At the Harvard School of Public Health—particula...
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 27/02/2026
I spoke with experts about Eric Dane’s and James Van Der Beek’s campaigns, the rising trend of celebrity crowdfunding, and the history of who gets funding for medical debt and who gets left out. www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult... @rollingstone.com
rollingstone.com
Why Are Celebrities on GoFundMe? And Why Are We Giving Them So Much Cash?
After the deaths of James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane, fans took to GoFundMe to help out the stars' families — a trend that experts believe will grow.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 19/02/2026
I made a timeline of the connections between Jeffrey Epstein and Victoria's Secret billionaire Les Wexner — rollingstone.com/culture/cult... @rollingstone.com
rollingstone.com
Can Epstein's Rise to Power Be Traced to the Mogul Behind Victoria's Secret?
The two were close for decades before falling out in 2007. Now, billionaire Les Wexner is defending himself in front of a Congressional committee.
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Becca Lewis @beccalew.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
The potential for upheaval is precisely why economic elites wield AI as a weapon to threaten workers, even as we've seen time and again that AI cannot actually replace what humans do. You can take these dynamics seriously without buying into the framing of the people doing the threatening.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 11/02/2026
I spoke with AI experts about all of those optimistic AI Super Bowl ads and why many (like the Ring commercial) underestimated how skeptical the public is becoming of tech www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult... @rollingstone.com
rollingstone.com
The Super Bowl Was Overrun by AI Ads -- And There's a Reason Viewers Weren't Buying It
The ads tried to sell AI as a helpful tool to integrate into all our lives, but experts say public sentiment has already shifted.
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 07/02/2026
I spoke to a few lawyers about Luigi Mangione and double jeopardy after yesterday's tense hearing www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult... @rollingstone.com
rollingstone.com
Luigi Mangione Says He's Facing 'Double Jeopardy.' Here's What Legal Experts Say
Mangione, who is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is facing both state and federal charges.
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Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 03/02/2026
In December, an inmate died in custody after MDC’s medical staff missed a lung cancer diagnosis for an inmate complaining of chest pain. “The results were somehow missed... and the delay was unfortunate,” the medical staff wrote. More: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
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Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 03/02/2026
“The MDC has a long and documented history of inhumane conditions, including chronic overcrowding, severe understaffing, and woefully inadequate medical care,” criminal defense attorney Anna Estevao tells Rolling Stone. 🔗 www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
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Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 03/02/2026
Sean Combs’ lawyers said he was threatened by an inmate with a shiv once. “What people experience at MDC, it’s not just punishment, it’s neglect, chronic understaffing, systematic failure, dehumanization,” criminal defense attorney Lance Clarke says. 🔗 www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
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Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 03/02/2026
The federal detention center has a reputation for extended lockdowns, lack of outside space, poor medical care, and violent brawls — it’s known for being cruel even when compared to other jails. More: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
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Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 03/02/2026
Luigi Mangione, Nicolas Maduro, and Diddy Spent Time in This Jail. Here’s What It’s Like On the Inside New York’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) is known for its famous names — but this isn’t ‘Club Fed.’ Story: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult...
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 03/02/2026
My look at what it's like inside New York’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult... @rollingstone.com
rollingstone.com
Luigi Mangione, Nicolas Maduro, and Diddy Spent Time in This Jail. Here's What It's Like on the Inside
New York’s Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) is known for its famous names — but this isn’t ‘Club Fed’
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 17/01/2026
Killer reporting from @katherineeban.bsky.social
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Katherine Eban @katherineeban.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
EXCLUSIVE: In my 1st @rollingstone.com story, internal @hhsofficial.bsky.social emails show how 2 Danish scientists accused of "questionable research practices" got a $1.6 million grant aligned w/ Sec. Kennedy's theories to study HepB vaccine in Guinea-Bissau: rollingstone.com/politics/pol... /1
rollingstone.com
HHS Gave a $1.6 Million Grant to a Controversial Vaccine Study. These Emails Show How That Happened
Two Danish researchers faced accusations of “questionable research practices” as RFK Jr.’s top appointees made their study a “funding priority”
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 15/01/2026
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals announced they will be re-hearing two consolidated Ten Commandments cases -- one from Louisiana, another from TX -- that challenge state laws requiring public schools to display the religious text in every classroom
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Lorena O’Neil @lorenaoneil.com · 13/01/2026
The Defiance Act passed the Senate today, it allows victims of nonconsensual sexually-explicit deepfakes to sue. @aoc.bsky.social has been working with Sen. Durbin and Sen. Graham on this legislation. Here's our conv. about the harm it causes: www.rollingstone.com/culture/cult... @rollingstone.com
rollingstone.com
Fake Photos, Real Harm: AOC and the Fight Against AI Porn
Artificial intelligence deepfakes are easier to make than ever — and our sense of reality and democracy are at risk
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