NEW YORK — Luigi Mangione appeared in a Manhattan courtroom Monday as his defense team launched a critical bid to exclude key evidence—including a gun and a handwritten notebook—from his upcoming murder trial. The 27-year-old is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Midtown sidewalk in December 2024. The multi-day hearing will determine whether evidence seized during his arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald's five days after the killing was obtained legally.

Mangione's attorneys argue that police violated his constitutional rights by conducting a warrantless search of his backpack and questioning him for approximately 20 minutes before reading him his Miranda rights. Prosecutors, who have played surveillance footage of the killing and the arrest in court, contend the evidence is vital and was obtained properly. The outcome could significantly shape the state's case, which could bring a life sentence, and a separate federal case where prosecutors are seeking the death penalty.

The Defense's Constitutional Challenge

The defense is seeking to suppress two categories of evidence through what are known as Mapp and Huntley hearings. First, they aim to exclude all physical items recovered from Mangione's backpack on Dec. 9, 2024. This includes a 9mm handgun that prosecutors say ballistically matches the murder weapon, a silencer, and a red notebook containing writings described by the prosecution as a "manifesto".

Second, they want to bar statements Mangione made to police before being read his rights. This includes his alleged use of a fake Maryland driver's license under the name "Mark Rosario," the same name used to check into a Manhattan hostel before the shooting. Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo argued in court filings that officers created an "armed human wall" to trap Mangione at the back of the restaurant and interrogated him unlawfully.

"They have methodically and purposefully trampled his constitutional rights," argued Karen Friedman Agnifilo, another of Mangione's attorneys, in a pretrial statement.

The Prosecution's Evidence and Alleged Motive

Prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney's office allege the notebook provides a clear motive for the crime. In court filings, they have quoted passages where Mangione reportedly mused about rebelling against "the deadly, greed fueled health insurance cartel" and wrote that killing an industry executive "conveys a greedy bastard that had it coming". The writings also allegedly express admiration for Theodore Kaczynski, the "Unabomber".

In court Monday, prosecutors played surveillance video of the Dec. 4 killing, showing Thompson being shot from behind as he walked toward the Hilton Midtown hotel for an investor conference. They also showed previously unreleased footage from inside the Altoona McDonald's, depicting Mangione ordering food, wiping down a table, and being approached by police.

A pivotal piece of testimony came from the playing of the McDonald's manager's 911 call. "I have a customer here that some other customers were suspicious of, that he looks like the CEO shooter from New York," the manager told the dispatcher, noting the man wore a black jacket, surgical mask, and tan beanie. "The only thing you can see are his eyebrows".

A Focus on Police Procedure

The defense's argument hinges on the timeline and actions of the Altoona police. Body camera footage shows an officer searching the backpack and stating she was checking to make sure there "wasn't a bomb or anything". Mangione's lawyers call this "an excuse designed to cover up an illegal warrantless search," noting the bag was on a table over six feet away from a handcuffed Mangione, who was separated from it by officers.

Furthermore, the defense notes police did not obtain an actual search warrant for the backpack until about seven hours after it was first opened. Prosecutors are expected to argue that the search was justified for officer safety and that the evidence would have been "inevitably discovered" through legal means.

The hearing also featured testimony from Pennsylvania corrections officers who guarded Mangione after his arrest. One officer, Tomas Rivers, testified that the prison placed Mangione on constant watch because officials "did not want an Epstein-style situation," a reference to Jeffrey Epstein's jail suicide. Rivers said he and Mangione discussed literature and differences between private and nationalized healthcare.

Another officer, Matthew Henry, testified that Mangione volunteered that he had a 3D-printed pistol and foreign currency in his backpack at the time of his arrest. Defense counsel Agnifilo expressed skepticism on cross-examination, asking if this damaging information was truly offered "out of nowhere".

Broader Context and What's Next

Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. In a significant pretrial victory in September, Judge Gregory Carro dismissed two state murder charges related to terrorism, finding the evidence "legally insufficient". He still faces nine state counts, including second-degree murder, and a federal indictment.

The hearing has attracted notable public attention, with several dozen supporters attending court. Some wore T-shirts with slogans like "Without a warrant, it's not a search, it's a violation".

Legal experts suggest the defense faces an uphill battle. "The chances of that happening are virtually non-existent," said Dmitriy Shakhnevich, a New York defense attorney, referring to the suppression of the evidence. He noted exceptions to warrant requirements often apply in manhunts for violent suspects.

Prosecutors have indicated they could call more than two dozen witnesses, and the hearing is expected to last at least through the week. If the defense succeeds, prosecutors would lose direct evidence of a potential murder weapon and what they allege is a clear statement of motive, though they maintain they have other evidence like DNA and fingerprints. A separate hearing in the federal case is scheduled for Jan. 9.