Luigi Mangione in court as lawyers seek to rule out notebook, gun and other key evidence

Luigi Mangione, accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan a year ago this week, appears in court as his lawyers challenge the admissibility of key evidence in his case.

Mr. Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal murder charges, which carry the possibility of the death penalty.

Pre-trial hearings could last several days, as defense attorneys are expected to call numerous witnesses, including from Pennsylvania, where he was arrested at the McDonald’s.

A judge in September dismissed murder charges related to state terrorism against Mr. Mangione, arguing that prosecutors had failed to establish evidence to justify them.

Mr. Mangione’s legal team is now hoping to persuade a judge to exclude evidence, including a gun and a notebook, which prosecutors say suggested a motive.

The defendant was arrested days after allegedly shooting father-of-two Brian Thompson as he walked to an investor conference on a busy Manhattan street on December 4, 2024.

None of his trial dates have been set yet.

As he walked into court on Monday, Mr. Mangione wore a gray suit and shirt, and as requested by his lawyers, court staff removed the restraints on his hands before he sat down.

This week’s hearing focuses on whether prosecutors illegally obtained evidence from Mr. Mangione when they arrested him in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and whether it should be excluded as a result.

Defense lawyers are trying to suppress some of the statements Mr Mangione made to police after he was arrested – including allegedly giving him a false name.

They argue that he did so before the police informed him of his rights, including the right to remain silent.

His lawyers are also hoping to exclude from the trial a 9mm handgun that prosecutors say matches the gun used in the murder, as well as writings found in Mr. Mangione’s backpack.

Prosecutors have alleged that Mr. Mangione, the scion of a prominent Maryland family who graduated from an Ivy League university, wrote in his notebook about a “deadly, greed-driven health insurance cartel.”

But defense lawyers are arguing that her bag was searched without a warrant and therefore the items found in it should be excluded.

Eliminating those two crucial pieces of evidence – which point to the murder weapon and motive – would be a major victory for Mr Mangione’s legal team.

But the chances of that happening are “virtually non-existent,” said Dmitry Shakhnevich, a criminal defense lawyer in New York.

He said that’s because there are several exceptions to the constitutional rules that law enforcement must obtain a warrant for a personal search, including some that could cover this case.

“In a case like this where a violent suspect is being sought who committed this alleged crime in plain sight in New York City, no one is getting a warrant,” Mr. Shakhnevich said.

“When they find him, they’ll search him.”

Prosecutors say they have other important evidence against the defendant, including DNA or fingerprints on objects thrown near the crime scene.

Mr. Shakhnevich said Mr. Mangione’s lawyers are probably aware of the long prospects for the evidence being thrown out.

He said the main reason defense attorneys pursue this type of action is to preview trial testimony from law enforcement.

So far, the court has heard from Sergeant Chris McLaughlin, the New York Police Department’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information, who was asked to review surveillance images after the shooting.

In court, prosecutors also played CCTV footage showing the murder. An employee who handles security cameras at a McDonald’s in Altoona also testified.

Mr. Shakhnevich said the legal team wants to get this type of information from witnesses so they can know what people might say at trial, and keep an eye on any inconsistencies in their statements.

“The advantage of a hearing is that you get a chance to testify to law enforcement officers, and you can compel them to testify at trial later,” he said.

Mr. Mangione’s legal team is also pushing to block the federal government from seeking the death penalty.

He has said that comments from high-ranking officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, that Mr. Mangione has been charged with murder, have prejudiced his case, which he claims is politically motivated.