Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old American man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson, has faced a crucial day in a New York courtroom as lawyers argue over whether key evidence can be used against him.
His defence team is trying to block diary-style writings, a gun and other items police say they found in his backpack when he was arrested at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania after a days-long manhunt in December 2024.
In court on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), Mangione walked in through a side door with his hands shackled, wearing a grey suit jacket, before his cuffs were removed so he could sit with his lawyers.
The judge is hearing arguments about whether officers illegally searched his backpack without a warrant and whether his conversations with police can be used, with both sides expected to call witnesses over several days.
Prosecutors say the gun matches ballistic evidence from the Manhattan crime scene and argue the notebook shows frustration with the healthcare industry and intent to carry out an attack, while the defence says the opposing team labelled it a “manifesto” which is a prejudicial law-enforcement term that risks poisoning a future jury.
Footage played in court showed Thompson being shot on a busy Manhattan footpath in December 2024 and collapsing, as well as separate surveillance from inside the McDonald’s where officers slowly gathered around Mangione before arresting him without visible resistance.
Audio of a call from a McDonald’s worker to emergency services was also played, with the employee saying customers believed a man in a black jacket, mask and tan beanie “looks like the CEO shooter”.
“So [the customers are] really upset, and they’ve come to me,” she said, per 9 News.
“The only thing you can see is his eyebrows.”
As the videos played, reporters said Mangione sat at the defence table watching, at one point resting a finger on his chin, while his lawyers asked that he be allowed to keep at least one hand free to take notes.
The hearing has also revealed how seriously authorities have been treating his custody behind the scenes. A corrections officer from a Pennsylvania state prison told the court that Mangione was kept under “constant watch” after his arrest because officials “did not want an Epstein‑style situation,” referring to Jeffrey Epstein’s death in jail while awaiting trial, per The Guardian.
The officer said Mangione was moved from a local jail to a higher‑security state facility at the request of senior corrections officials, partly to limit his contact with other prisoners, reduce the risk of extortion and leaks to the media, and make sure there was a detailed record of his behaviour and movements.
Outside the court, a small group of supporters turned up, according to Reuters, including one person dressed as the Luigi character from Super Mario Bros, holding a sign reading, “When patients die, profits rise”, and another wearing a “Free Luigi” sash.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all charges and still faces nine counts in the New York state case, including second-degree murder and multiple weapons offences, along with a separate federal case where prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty.
A judge earlier dropped two terrorism-related murder charges after finding prosecutors had not shown he intended to intimidate health workers or influence government policy. However, if he is eventually convicted of second-degree murder he could face a life sentence, while the federal case carries the possibility of execution.
Trial dates have not yet been set, but the outcome of this week’s evidence fight will help shape what a future jury is allowed to see and hear when the cases finally go ahead.
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