Luigi Mangione’s defense team challenges Pennsylvania arrest evidence

Luigi Mangione’s backpack and the circumstances surrounding his arrest in Pennsylvania have been the main focus of this week’s hearings in New York, as his legal professionals attempt to have some proof thrown out fully.

Mangione’s attorneys sought to choose aside the dealing with of Mangione’s preliminary arrest by Pennsylvania police, difficult their prison investigation into the homicide suspect’s backpack and a delay in studying his Miranda rights. The collection of pre-trial hearings is meant to find out whether or not proof shall be excluded from his upcoming trial for the alleged homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani informed Fox Information Digital that he believes prosecutors will be capable of efficiently argue that each the backpack search and Miranda rights studying occurred throughout the regulation.

“I agree with prosecutors on this case that it was a authorized search. And so there are some exceptions to the search warrant requirement. And the 2 that might actually apply on this case are a search incident of an arrest or a list search. Each require an arrest. So so long as there was possible trigger for an arrest, regulation enforcement can search something inside Mangione’s purview,” Rahmani stated.

FEDERAL JUDGE GRANTS MANGIONE ACCESS TO LAPTOP IN PRISON FOR MURDER TRIAL

Luigi Mangione seems to be down in Manhattan Prison Court docket on December 12, 2025. (Jane Rosenberg)

Luigi Mangione, charged with the homicide of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will seem in Manhattan Supreme Court docket on Friday, December 12, 2025, for an proof suppression listening to in his case. (Curtis means for each day mail through pool)

Luigi Mangione, charged with the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will seem in Manhattan Supreme Court docket on Friday, December 12, 2025, for a listening to on the suppression of proof in his case. (William Farrington for New York Publish through pool)

Nevertheless, if Decide Gregory Carro guidelines in opposition to prosecutors and excludes proof, Rahmani says it might be “very damaging” to the case.

“So that would probably be deadly to the prosecution’s case. They might simply need to depend on the video, the DNA on the scene, eyewitness statements and fingerprints,” he stated.

That is what was introduced in court docket this previous week:

Contents of Mangione’s backpack and pockets:

• Map – Mangione had a to-do record with an escape plan for touring from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Picture proof displaying Luigi Mangione’s belongings in the course of the arrest for the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Pictured: Mangione’s plan for an escape route from Pittsburgh to Cincinnati. (Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace)

Picture proof displaying Luigi Mangione’s belongings in the course of the arrest for the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Pictured: Mangione’s deliberate escape route with clothes notes. (Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace)

• Pistol and multi-tool pocket knife.

Proof collected after Luigi Mangione’s arrest and introduced by the Manhattan district lawyer at a suppression listening to is proven right here. Pictured: Mangione’s pocket knife, zip ties and instruments. (Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace)

• Identification, financial institution playing cards and different private hygiene merchandise.

Proof collected after Luigi Mangione’s arrest and introduced by the Manhattan district lawyer at a suppression listening to is proven right here. Pictured: Mangione’s passport, driver’s license, debit and bank cards and a pockets. (Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace)

Proof collected after Luigi Mangione’s arrest and introduced by the Manhattan district lawyer at a suppression listening to is proven right here. Within the picture: Mangione toiletries. (Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace)

• Pocket book and flash drives.

Proof collected after Luigi Mangione’s arrest and introduced by the Manhattan district lawyer at a suppression listening to is proven right here. Within the picture: Mangione’s manifesto. (Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace)

Proof collected after Luigi Mangione’s arrest and introduced by the Manhattan district lawyer at a suppression listening to is proven right here. Pictured: Mangione’s reminiscence card, headphones and batteries. (Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace)

Proof collected after Luigi Mangione’s arrest and introduced by the Manhattan district lawyer at a suppression listening to is proven right here. Pictured: the Mangione wi-fi playing cards and the SIM card. (Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace)

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Proof collected after Luigi Mangione’s arrest and introduced by the Manhattan district lawyer at a suppression listening to is proven right here. Pictured: USB. (Manhattan District Lawyer’s Workplace)

Physique digicam video of Mangione’s confrontation with police earlier than he was arrested:

WATCH: Police confront Luigi Mangione earlier than arresting him

Prosecutors launched physique digicam video displaying the moments earlier than Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

When Mangione was arrested at McDonald’s on December 9, 2024, a police officer stated they acquired a name saying he seemed “suspicious.”

“I am sorry,” Mangione informed the police officer earlier than his cellphone. Mangione recognized himself as “Mark Rosario” in the course of the interplay and introduced an identification card.

In line with the officer, the one that reported Mangione to authorities did so as a result of they “thought” [he] seemed like somebody.”

‘I am a supervisor at Plank Street McDonald’s proper right here on the boulevard,” a McDonald’s supervisor informed the 911 dispatcher. “And I’ve a shopper right here, who another shoppers had been suspicious of, who seems to be just like the CEO shooter from New York.”

Through the contact with police, Mangione was requested, “Why are you mendacity about your title?”

COP DESCRIBES RECOGNITION OF LUIGI MANGIONE WHEN HE PULLED DOWN MASK AT MCDONALD’S

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

“I clearly should not have accomplished that,” Mangione stated.

When Altoona Police Officer Stephen Fox requested Mangione if he was utilizing a pretend ID, the suspect shook his head up and down, in keeping with the video proven in court docket.

Fox testified that he felt “uncomfortable” when he petted Mangione due to the best way he was sitting and never making eye contact.

Mangione was taken into custody in Pennsylvania on expenses of false identification.

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

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Lt. William Hanelly of the Altoona Police Division was additionally seen within the physique digicam video telling Mangione that he would get in additional bother if he continued to make use of a false title to officers.

Officer’s testimony:

Hanelly additionally claimed no warrant was wanted to go looking Mangione’s bag, saying it was an exception to the warrant.

Video proven in court docket Mangione’s arrest on the McDonald’s exhibits a police officer saying, “We in all probability want a search warrant at this level.”

One other officer responded, “It would not matter. He is right here underneath arrest for a criminal offense, so we are able to search,” referring to Mangione’s arrest for allegedly having a pretend ID in his possession.

Mangione’s lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, argued that the search of the backpack was unlawful and is searching for to take action exclude that proof from the trial.

Altoona Police Officer Christy Wasser was seen on physique digicam video proven in court docket eradicating moist underwear from Mangione’s backpack, which contained {a magazine} of bullets.

“There was one other journal hidden in his underwear,” Wasser is heard saying.

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Luigi Mangione, charged with the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will seem earlier than the state Supreme Court docket on December 11, 2025, for a listening to on the suppression of proof in his case in Manhattan, New York. (Curtis Means/Pool through Reuters)

As Wasser held up the journal with bullets in it, somebody will be heard saying, “It is f—— him.”

Mangione’s protection staff has additionally argued that police waited too lengthy to learn the suspect his Miranda rights. When Fox took the stand, he defined that he initially didn’t inform Mangione he was in custody to get the suspect to speak.