Luigi Mangione trial: Judge allows notebook and gun as evidence in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing case

A New York judge ruled on Monday (May 18) that prosecutors in the case of Luigi Mangione can use a notebook and a gun found in his backpack as evidence in his upcoming trial for the murder of Brian Thompson, but suppressed several other items seized during his arrest. Judge Gregory Carro of Manhattan state court said the initial search of Mangione’s backpack at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania did not meet legal standards for a warrantless search. “The evidence found during the search of the backpack at the McDonald’s must be suppressed, including the magazine, cellphone, passport, wallet, and computer chip,” he wrote.

However, the judge ruled that evidence recovered later at a police station was legally obtained. “The cataloguing and photographing of the notebook was a valid part of the inventory search,” he wrote. The gun was found in a separate compartment during that later search. Carro also ruled that some statements Mangione made to police before receiving Miranda warnings cannot be used at trial, including responses to questions about his identity and ID documents.

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Mangione, wearing a navy blazer and button-down shirt, attended Monday’s hearing in Manhattan. Supporters in the courtroom reacted with surprise when the ruling was read. A spokesperson for Mangione’s defense team declined to comment, while prosecutors said they were prepared to proceed with the trial. The state trial is scheduled for September 8. Prosecutors allege Mangione killed Thompson on December 4, 2024, in Midtown Manhattan, triggering a nationwide manhunt that ended with his arrest at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania. He has pleaded not guilty in both state and federal cases.

In the federal case, a judge previously allowed the backpack evidence. That trial is expected later this year. Prosecutors say the notebook will play a central role in the case, describing it as a diary containing entries outlining motive and intent. “The investor conference is a true windfall,” he said. “It embodies everything wrong with our health system, and, most importantly, the message becomes self-evident.” Authorities also said the 9mm handgun recovered from the backpack included a 3D-printed receiver housing key components of the weapon.