NEW YORK — A judge indicated on Tuesday that he is hopeful the pretrial hearing for Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, could conclude this week as it enters its third week. Judge Gregory Carro stated, Hopefully we wind up on Thursday during the hearing.
27-year-old Mangione seeks to have crucial evidence excluded from the trial, which includes a gun and a notebook found during his arrest in Altoona, Pennsylvania on December 9, 2024. Prosecutors insist these items link him to the shooting of Thompson, which occurred just five days prior in Manhattan.
The prosecution has called upon over a dozen witnesses so far, with another expected following a break on Wednesday. Testimonies include that of a police evidence custodian from Pennsylvania, an NYC police homicide commander, and an investigative analyst from the Manhattan District Attorney's office.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to both state and federal murder charges, with this pretrial hearing pertaining solely to the state case. His defense team is simultaneously contesting the federal evidence, wherein prosecutors aim to impose the death penalty.
Mangione's apprehension occurred after diners at a McDonald's reported him, as he was identified as the individual resembling a suspect in the CEO's shooting. The restaurant manager relayed to the 911 dispatcher that customers believed he looks like the CEO shooter from New York.
The defense has argued that the police lacked a search warrant when they seized items from Mangione's bag, which should therefore be deemed inadmissible in court. In contrast, prosecutors argue the search was legally justified due to the safety concerns related to the ongoing arrest circumstances.
Among the items seized are a 9mm handgun that prosecutors claim is the murder weapon and a notebook containing writings that allegedly express a desire to harm a health insurance executive. The evidence custodian from Altoona logged and secured the collected evidence appropriately before transferring it to the NYPD for further analysis.
As the legal proceedings continue, the implications of these testimonies could heavily influence the outcomes of both the state and federal cases against Mangione. Further developments are expected to unfold throughout the remainder of this week.
