Luigi Mangione's Attorneys Fight to Exclude Key Evidence

Luigi Mangione appeared in state court Monday as his attorneys try to get key evidence tossed from his New York murder case.

Mangione, 27, is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel on December 4, 2024. He was arrested nearly a year ago at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

This week's hearings focus on evidence police recovered from Mangione's backpack during his arrest—a notebook, a silencer, and a 3D-printed handgun that prosecutors say connect him to the killing.

Mangione's defense attorneys argue police searched the backpack before obtaining a warrant, making the evidence inadmissible. They also want to exclude statements Mangione made during his arrest, claiming police questioned him before reading his Miranda rights.

Manhattan prosecutors reject the defense's claims that Mangione was illegally searched and questioned.

Why This Matters

The outcome determines whether a jury will hear about a gun purportedly linked to the murder scene and writings that describe an intent to "wack" a health care executive.

That's huge. Without the gun and notebook, prosecutors lose their most direct evidence connecting Mangione to the shooting.

What the Evidence Shows

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office highlighted writings police say they recovered from Mangione's backpack, arguing they show how he allegedly plotted the attack.

"The target is insurance. It checks every box," the notebook says, according to court filings.

Police also found a ghost gun that authorities say matches shell casings recovered from where Thompson was killed.

Mangione's attorneys also moved to exclude statements he made during arrest, including a fake name he allegedly gave police.

Other evidence includes items found near the crime scene that authorities say contained Mangione's DNA—a cell phone and a water bottle.

In Court

On the first day of hearings, Mangione wore a gray suit and checkered button-down shirt. Unshackled, he took notes and spoke with his attorneys. Judge Gregory Carro had earlier granted his request to wear civilian clothes in court.

Outside, several people held signs reading "FREE LUIGI" and chanted in defense of the Ivy League graduate. Such demonstrations have been fixtures at Mangione's hearings since his arrest.

The Charges

In his New York state case, Mangione faces nine felony counts including second-degree murder, which carries a possible sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

In September, Judge Carro dismissed terrorism-related charges against Mangione, stating prosecutors didn't present enough evidence to warrant them.

Mangione separately faces a federal death penalty prosecution and several charges in Pennsylvania. He's pleaded not guilty to all charges.

The Legal Strategy

Mangione's defense is attacking how evidence was obtained. If they succeed in getting the backpack search ruled illegal, everything found inside gets excluded—the notebook with alleged planning details, the gun matching shell casings from the scene, the silencer.

That's defense attorney 101 when the evidence looks bad. You don't argue your client didn't do it. You argue the evidence proving he did it was obtained illegally and can't be used.

Same strategy with the statements during arrest. If police questioned him before reading Miranda rights, those statements get thrown out.

Whether it works depends on the specific timeline of events during his arrest and what exactly happened before warrants were obtained.

What Happens Next

The hearings in New York state court are expected to last several days as prosecutors and defense attorneys present arguments over the evidence and statements from the initial interrogation.

Trial dates haven't been set in either the state or federal cases.

Judge Carro will decide whether the evidence stays or goes. If he rules the search was legal and Miranda rights weren't violated, the gun and notebook come in at trial. If he rules in Mangione's favor, prosecutors lose major evidence.

The Bigger Picture

Brian Thompson was shot and killed outside a Manhattan hotel in December 2024. Mangione was arrested days later in Pennsylvania after someone recognized him at a McDonald's.

The case attracted unusual public attention partly because of the target—a health insurance CEO—and partly because some people online expressed support for the killing, viewing it as justified anger at the healthcare industry.

The "FREE LUIGI" protesters outside court represent that sentiment. Whether that influences anything legally is doubtful, but it's made Mangione's court appearances more theatrical than typical murder cases.

For now, the focus is on whether evidence from his backpack and his statements during arrest can be used at trial. Everything else depends on how Judge Carro rules on those motions.

Mangione maintains his not guilty plea across all charges—state murder counts, federal death penalty charges, and Pennsylvania charges. His attorneys are fighting to exclude the most damaging evidence before any trial begins.

The hearings continue this week.

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