Luigi Mangione federal judge orders evidentiary hearing on backpack seizure

On Monday, a federal choose determined to carry a listening to to find out whether or not Luigi Mangione’s backpack was lawfully seized and searched at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, throughout his arrest.

Choose Margaret Garnett wrote in a court docket order that she thought-about “each the arguments of counsel” throughout Friday’s listening to and “the seriousness of the costs dealing with defendant” earlier than reversing her earlier choice, discovering the listening to pointless.

The listening to is anticipated to incorporate testimony from an Altoona police officer concerning the division’s procedures “for securing and defending… [and] inventorying the private property of an individual arrested in a public place.”

NYC PROSECUTORS Share Proof Pictures Exhibiting LUIGI MANGIONE’s Belongings Throughout Arrest

Luigi Mangione seems for a suppression of proof listening to within the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan Prison Court docket on December 16, 2025 in New York Metropolis. (Seth Wenig-Pool/Getty Photos)

Nonetheless, the choose clarified that the witness chosen by the prosecution didn’t must be one of many officers concerned in Mangione’s arrest, whereas including that the transient listening to will probably happen inside the subsequent two weeks.

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The transfer comes after a number of Altoona officers testified in court docket about Mangione’s request to exclude proof seized by police throughout his arrest, together with a backpack containing the alleged homicide weapon.

His attorneys are additionally asking the choose to take away the identical gadgets from his federal case.

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Luigi Mangione speaks with a police officer in Altoona, Pennsylvania. (Manhattan District Legal professional’s Workplace)

On Friday, Mangione’s protection crew requested the court docket to dam the federal government from making his federal trial a capital case.

Mangione’s federal case is anticipated to go to trial in December – or presumably January 2027 – if the loss of life penalty stays on the desk. If not, the choose mentioned Friday that Mangione may stand trial as early as October.

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Luigi Mangione talks to a police officer in Altoona, Pennsylvania. (Manhattan District Legal professional’s Workplace)

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No trial date has been set in Mangione’s state homicide case, which is anticipated to be the primary.

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Mangione is accused of taking pictures UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York Metropolis sidewalk in 2024. He has pleaded not responsible in each courts.