Luigi Mangione, the person charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was in court docket Monday for pretrial hearings about which proof can be allowed in his upcoming trial in New York Metropolis.
Mangione has pleaded not responsible to 9 state costs, together with homicide, in addition to different federal costs that carry the opportunity of the loss of life penalty. Again in September, a choose dropped two different state terrorism costs towards him.
The 27-year-old’s protection attorneys are arguing that sure proof ought to be excluded from trial due to how they are saying it was obtained.
Prosecutors with the Manhattan’s district legal professional’s workplace have denied the protection’s accusations, however the choose referred to as for a collection of suppression hearings to go over the considerations.
The hearings are anticipated to final a number of days, and probably all week. His trial date has not but been set.
A glance contained in the courtroom
Yuki Iwamura / POOL /AFP through Getty Photos
Mangione walked into court docket carrying a grey swimsuit with a patterned button down shirt. He appeared to elevate his eyebrows to acknowledge the court docket officers and his attorneys, however he didn’t take a look at the gallery. Per his attorneys’ request, his restraints had been eliminated earlier than he sat down, so he can take notes.
His attorneys had additionally requested he be allowed to put on civilian clothes throughout these hearings, moderately than the tan jail clothes from his final court docket look. The choose granted him two fits, three shirts, three sweaters, three pairs of pants, 5 pairs of socks and one pair of footwear with out laces that may be worn whereas he’s being transported from the Metropolitan Detention Heart in Brooklyn.
Contained in the courtroom, there seem like roughly eight rows of journalists and three rows of the general public, together with some carrying shirts with Mangione’s title or picture and the colour inexperienced.
Exterior the courtroom, some individuals camped out to try to get a spot inside.
The listening to was anticipated to start round 10 a.m. however obtained off to a late begin round 11 a.m.
Mangione smiled as he chatted together with his attorneys earlier than the listening to started and took notes all through.
NYPD 
First take a look at Pennsylvania McDonald’s surveillance video
The primary witness referred to as to the stand was NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Data Sgt. Chris McLaughlin, who was requested to assessment surveillance photos obtained within the hours and days after the capturing, together with what seems to be a photograph of Mangione standing on the counter of a Starbucks carrying a grey backpack and facemask together with his nostril displaying, two images of him inside an Higher West Facet hostel with no facemask, and a Fb put up displaying a person on a bicycle and a person with a gun.
Mangione’s attorneys objected to the relevance of the witness. Whereas the images had been displayed, Mangione was seen taking notes and leaning over to talk together with his legal professionals.
The prosecution additionally performed video of the second Thompson was shot practically a 12 months in the past outdoors a lodge in midtown Manhattan, however stopped it earlier than the husband and father of two fell to the bottom.
The second witness referred to as to testify labored for the corporate that dealt with the safety cameras on the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the place Mangione was taken into custody days after the capturing.
For the primary time, prosecutors shared safety video from a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania the place Mangione was arrested. There was no audio for it. Within the video, Mangione might be seen sitting and consuming, and at one level talking with officers.
A 911 coordinator from Blair County, Pennsylvania then took the stand, earlier than court docket broke for lunch. A 911 name from a supervisor on the McDonald’s was performed.
“I’ve a buyer right here that another prospects had been suspicious of,” the supervisor mentioned within the recording. The supervisor went on to clarify that the purchasers had been actually upset, and thought he regarded just like the individual police had been looking for in reference to Thompson’s homicide.
The surveillance video exhibits Managione sit down at a facet eating room close to the restroom at 9:01 a.m. At 9:28 a.m., two officers strategy him, and he stands together with his fingers within the air. Workers and prospects might be seen coming and going whereas that is occurring.
At one level, Mangione is seated once more and appears to be consuming whereas talking with officers. At round 9:40 a.m., extra officers present up, and Mangione is finally seen standing and being searched.
“Did not need an Epstein-style scenario”
Corrections officer Thomas Rivers testified subsequent. He works at State Correctional Establishment Huntington, the ability the place Mangione was held after he was arrested. Mangione was positioned there on account of its elevated safety capabilities, Rivers mentioned. Mangione was held there underneath a relentless watch as a result of “SCI Huntington did not need an Epstein-style scenario,” Rivers mentioned, referring to the suicide of Jeffrey Epstein.
Rivers testified he spoke with Mangione throughout his time being held at Huntington. They spoke about Mangione’s travels in Thailand, together with one thing Mangione mentioned he noticed – a “gang combat between girl boys.”
Rivers mentioned that Mangione talked about individuals who develop up in Third World international locations grew up with a stage of struggling not current within the U.S., however are typically happier.
Rivers mentioned the 2 additionally talked about comparisons the media was making between Mangione and Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, and so they mentioned books by George Orwell, Aldous Huxley and Henry Thoreau.
Here is what Mangione’s attorneys are arguing
Mangione’s protection says statements he made to legislation enforcement ought to be suppressed, as a result of they declare officers failed to supply Miranda warnings, which is when a suspect is knowledgeable of their constitutional rights.
The protection additionally says proof seized on the time of his arrest on the McDonald’s in Pennsylvania should not be allowed, as a result of they declare legislation enforcement did a warrantless search of his backpack after he was handcuffed and surrounded by officers. Among the many gadgets contained in the backpack had been a gun with a 3D printed receiver, ammunition and a pink pocket book he allegedly used as his diary.
Protection attorneys don’t desire the pocket book entries or different writings put into proof at these pretrial hearings, claiming they may prejudice Mangione if they’re made public and potential jurors hear about it.
Lastly, the protection can also be arguing towards non-eyewitness identification testimony at trial, that means somebody who was not a witness to an alleged crime who makes an identification from an image or video.
