A Florida woman, Brianna Boston, was arrested on Tuesday after allegedly threatening BlueCross BlueShield (a leading healthcare insurance giant) following a denied insurance claim. Police reports state that during a phone call with the company, which was recorded, Boston made the threatening statement:
"Delay, deny, depose. You people are next."
These are the same words that were engraved on the shell casings found after the shooting of United HealthCare's CEO Brian Thompson.
When police approached Brianna Boston in her Lakeland home, she admitted to have used those words, following it up with:
“Healthcare companies played games and deserved karma from the world because they are evil.”
Brianna Boston explained to detectives that she used the phrase because it was a current news topic, particularly related to the United HealthCare case. She clarified that she did not own firearms and assured authorities that she posed no threat to anyone. Brianna reiterated:
"Yeah that’s exactly what I said but I didn’t mean anything by it”
According to WFLA News Channel 8, Brianna Boston has been charged with intent to conduct a mass shooting. The judge has set her bond at $100,000.
Fundraisers for the release of Brianna Boston
Initially, several GoFundMe accounts supporting Brianna Boston cropped up but were later removed on account of GoFundMe guidelines. For now, one GoFundMe account remains active and, according to its description, intends to raise funds for her bond.
During her bond hearing, Brianna Boston's attorney emphasized that she is a married mother of three with no criminal history. Jim Headley, her attorney, said:
“My client is 42, married mother of three. Never had any criminal charges or convictions. May you release her on her own recognizance,”
Despite this, the judge set her bond at $100,000. Now, the funds are being sought to help secure her release.
Although her GoFundMe goal is set at $100,000, there isn't a single donation on the link so far.
Netizens respond to Brianna Boston's arrest
Online reactions to Brianna Boston's arrest have been mixed. Some people sympathize with her, feeling that the police's response was an overreaction, especially given she didn’t possess firearms. These people argue that her comments were made due to frustration with the health insurance system than any actual threat. One user on X wrote:
"Briana Boston was arrested for saying 'Delay, deny, depose' over the phone with her insurance company after they denied her claim. Refusing necessary medical care to someone is the only crime I see being committed here, FREE BRIANA BOSTON !"
"Free my girl Briana Boston, literally none of that was a threat warranting this overreaction from the police state," echoed another user.
While most people saw this as an overreaction by the police and thought that the probable 15-year sentence was harsh, others were critical of Brianna's actions and said things like:
"I don’t care if they put her in jail for 20 years. She threatened someone’s life," noted one user.
Another user chimed in by saying:
Trending
"She's gotta do some time. With leaders, like AOC, setting an understanding tone to these assassinations', somebody has to be the example of what happens when threats are issued. Otherwise, it's going to be the start of an open season on healthcare CEO's. And it won't stop there."
Brianna Boston's arrest has sparked divided opinions as people view her actions as the first Luigi Mangione copycat crime. While some argue her comments stemmed from frustration with the healthcare system, others believe her words were a dangerous threat deserving of legal consequences.
Reply
