Luigi Mangione Defense Fundraiser Says He Deserves A Fair Trial

Luigi Mangione's got hundreds of people donating money to his defense fund ... and a spokesperson for one committee is explaining why they're trying to help him pay his legal fees.

Jamie Peck -- a member of The December 4th Legal Committee -- tells TMZ … part of the reason why they started the fund for Mangione is their belief everyone deserves a fair trial – even someone accused of terrorism.

While Peck makes it clear she isn't co-signing the violence, she hopes the case will have people talking about the broken healthcare system in America.

Jamie adds historic change comes from the bottom up rather than the top down ... and encourages mass actions to spark lasting change in healthcare.

The December 4th Legal Committee is made up of 20 volunteers who believe in the right to legal representation and in taking a stand against systemic injustice ... and, they started the fund before a suspect was even named.

Though they haven't been able to establish communication with Mangione, his team or his family, they say they're committed to his defense -- and are hopeful they'll succeed.

Obviously, the money they've raised -- about $183k at the time of this writing -- is for Mangione ... but, if he rejects it, they plan to give it to other people facing political charges. They don't have anyone in mind 'cause they're hopeful Mangione takes the cash.

As you know ... Mangione is facing multiple charges on the federal and state levels -- including murder charges -- for allegedly killing CEO Brian Thompson. He appeared in federal court last week, and he's currently locked up in MDC Brooklyn.

While Mangione comes from an affluent family, it's unclear who's paying his legal fees -- as you know, he's enlisted the services of big-time attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo.