Following the tragic incident involving the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a disturbing discovery was made by the police. Shell casings near the crime scene were found to have the words 'deny,' 'defend,' and 'depose' printed on them. This finding led to the emergence of merchandise featuring these words being sold online.
The phrase is believed to be connected to a book from 2010 that criticized the health insurance industry, titled 'Delay Deny Defend,' which is a common description of the industry's tactics. Various items such as hats, T-shirts, and pint glasses bearing these words started appearing on Amazon's store.
The suspect in the case has garnered sympathy and support online, partly due to widespread dissatisfaction with the health insurance industry. A recent survey by KFF revealed that a significant majority of insured adults in the US experienced issues with their health insurance, including claim denials, within a year.
Amazon took action by removing the merchandise from its platform, citing a violation of the company's rules. However, it is uncertain how many individuals had purchased items featuring the controversial phrase.
Despite Amazon's actions, 'deny, defend, depose' merchandise can still be found for sale on eBay. While the phrase itself does not breach eBay's rules, the platform prohibits items that promote or glorify violence, including those that may be seen as celebrating the tragic death of UHC CEO Brian Thompson.
