Luigi Mangione Appears In Court in Suit as Key Evidence Hearing Continues

NEW YORK Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, attended a Manhattan court on Tuesday for the second day of a hearing to determine which evidence will be allowed at his upcoming murder trial. Mangione entered the courtroom wearing a dark suit with a light-colored shirt, and his wrists were unshackled by a court officer so he could take notes on a yellow legal pad.

Prosecutors in New York are continuing to call witnesses connected to Mangiones arrest, which occurred five days after Thompson was fatally shot on a Midtown Manhattan sidewalk in the early hours of December 2024. Thompson, 50, had been in the city for the companys annual convention. On Monday, the court viewed surveillance footage from a McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione was detained while eating. A 911 call played in court captured a McDonalds employee describing that an older female customer thought Mangione resembled the New York shooting suspect, even though only his eyes and bushy eyebrows were visible above his medical mask and hat. The dispatcher instructed the employee to monitor Mangione until law enforcement arrived.

This weeks hearing focuses on the actions of the Altoona Police Department during Mangiones arrest. Mangiones defense team is requesting that Judge Gregory Carro exclude certain key items from trial, including a firearm and a red notebook containing alleged references to Thompsons murder, arguing that these were seized without a warrant. The defense also seeks to prevent certain statements Mangione made before being read his Miranda rights from being used in court.

During Tuesdays session, prosecutors called Altoona police officer Joseph Detwiler, who responded to the 911 call without sirens, initially believing the situation would not involve the New York suspect. Detwiler testified that once Mangione lowered his mask, he immediately recognized him as the shooter and contacted a supervisor. Body camera footage of the encounter was shown in court. Mangione initially identified himself as Mark Rosario and presented a New Jersey ID, which officers checked against a national database. Detwiler noticed Mangiones nervous behavior and shaking fingers during a frisk.

Throughout the hearing, Mangione was seen leaning forward to take notes and closely observing New York surveillance video depicting Thompsons shooting. Mangione faces charges in multiple jurisdictions: New York state murder charges, federal murder charges, and state-level gun-related charges in Pennsylvania. While the federal case carries the potential for the death penalty, it is expected to proceed after the state trial concludes.

Author: Sophia Brooks