People are rallying behind Briana Boston, a Florida woman arrested after police said she made threats against her health insurance company.
A GoFundMe supporting Boston’s legal fees and bond payment—which a judge set at $100,000 last week—has reached over $30,000 across 1,000 donors.
Boston was granted a pre-trial release with bond and is currently under house arrest and GPS monitoring as she awaits trial.
“What’s being done to you is pure political theater,” one donor commented. “You should never have spent a single second in prison. After you are acquitted I highly recommend seeking legal recompense against the state of Florida.”
“The police, judge, and prosecutor in this are pathetic,” echoed someone else. “Do not settle for a plea! You are innocent!!”
“I am saddened by what you are being put through,” wrote another donor. “It is total BS. America is behind you. I hope you fight this.”
Boston was arrested after she told someone from Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield “delay, deny, depose, you people are next” in a recorded call when a claim of hers was denied.
Police say that she admitted to making the statement, apologized, and noted that she owns no firearms.
But authorities believed her statement was enough to warrant being charged with threats to conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism, her words echoing those of Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old charged in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Police say Mangione used shell casings inscribed with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose.”
Both Boston and Mangione’s messages could be tied to a similarly titled book—Delay Deny Defend: Why insurance companies don’t pay claims and what you can do about it—which details how insurance companies deny claims to maximize profits.
Boston’s arrest came as many online continued to mock the UnitedHealthcare assassination and crack jokes about their hopes other health insurance companies would be targeted as well.
“It’s political hyperbole. If you post something stupid on Twitter, and it’s read by somebody who may work for some company, and they’re taking it as a threat, then are we going to go and arrest every person on Twitter, because they say stupid things?” Boston’s attorney Anthony Rickman told Fox 13. “This case is like that. It’s somebody who talked to an individual she doesn’t know, has never met, has never even spoken to and said words that a lot of people are uttering on social media.”
Boston’s case generated no shortage of outrage from that same crowd.
“This is beyond disgusting. Briana Boston should not be in jail,” states one viral post that has been viewed six million times.
“Briana Boston didn’t have a weapon or criminal record, they’re jailing people just for words I fear,” commented someone else.
At least one other fundraiser appears to have been halted, with funds set to be returned, due to Boston’s pre-trial release.
Writing on GoFundMe, Daniel Boston acknowledged the now-ended separate fundraiser was not started by the Boston family but that they “believe that her intent was genuine and request that any negative comments directed towards her cease.”
“It is also our understanding that any person who contributed to that GoFundMe will be or has been refunded,” he added.
Daniel Boston added that their fundraiser is continuing because her legal issues have not been resolved.
“Briana and myself continue to be amazed and overwhelmed by the support from around the world; it is greatly appreciated and we cannot give enough thanks,” he wrote on GoFundMe. “While we cannot comment on the details of her case, contrary to some reporting her legal status has not changed at this time, other than she is no longer physically incarcerated.”
He added: “If for some reason this were to change and we are guaranteed she is no longer in legal jeopardy, this GoFundMe campaign would be ended as soon as possible.”
An attorney for Mangione previously said he would not accept funds for his defense from similar GoFundMes.
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