Supervisory officers to testify on 6th day of Luigi Mangione’s evidence suppression hearing

(NEW YORK) — Luigi Mangione returns to court in New York City Thursday for a sixth day of a hearing to determine what evidence will, or will not, be used against him when he goes on trial on charges of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk last December.

Prosecutors with the Manhattan district attorney’s office are expected to call supervisory police officers present at the Altoona, Pennsylvania, McDonald’s where Mangione was apprehended after customers thought they recognized the suspect wanted in New York due to his distinctive eyebrows. 

The supervisors, a sergeant and two corporals, briefly were overheard on body camera footage debating whether officers needed a warrant to conduct more than a cursory search of Mangione’s backpack, from which police were seen on the footage retrieving the alleged murder weapon, writings, and a note that prosecutors said mentioned “escape routes”

Defense attorneys say the lack of a warrant made the search and seizure illegal, and they are seeking to preclude the contents of the bag.

They also argue officers were too late reading Mangione his Miranda rights and continued to pepper him with questions after he indicated he preferred to remain silent. 

The officers have testified that they lawfully searched Mangione’s backpack pursuant to his arrest for showing them a fake ID, and said they were legitimately concerned Mangione may have had a weapon or explosive. 

The officers also testified their questions to Mangione’s about his fake ID and whether his bag contained anything harmful were appropriate under the circumstances. 

Prosecutors are expected to rest next week.  Judge Gregory Carro is expected to issue a written decision about the evidence sometime in January.

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