Federal Judge Allows Jury to View Key Luigi Mangione Evidence in Major Blow to Defense

The federal judge in the Luigi Mangione murder trial ruled Monday that a gun and notebook allegedly linking him to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson can be shown to the jury.

The ruling is a blow to the defense, who argued the items were seized illegally because police had not obtained the required search warrant.

CNN’s Kara Scannell reported from the New York City courthouse:

“This was a key ruling in this case. And it came after the suppression hearings occurred in December,” Scannell said, continuing:

The judge saying that the search of Mangione’s backpack at the McDonald’s was illegal, and so certain items there are out. But the key evidence in this case, the alleged murder weapon and a handwriting diaries of Mangione are in. How the judge broke this down, he said that the search at the McDonald’s…it was not “exigent circumstances.” There was no public safety risk involved. There was no concern that he could reach into the backpack, since the officers had moved it far away from them.

And within that search, which is not allowed to come into trial, they found the magazine of the bullets. They also found the his cell phone, his passport, a wallet, and a computer chip. So, none of that evidence can come in. But all the material that was recovered when the backpack was searched back at the station, the judge said that was a legal search. They conducted it pursuant to the Altoona Police Department’s procedures handling an inventory search. So, that means that the gun, the handwritings where Mangione had written about his frustrations with the healthcare industry that he wanted to target insurance, that he said he was going to look at the bean counters. You know, he’s accused of gunning down the UnitedHealthcare CEO just outside of the hotel in Manhattan, where they were holding their annual investor conference. That information, those pieces of evidence can come in.

Mangione is facing both federal and state murder charges. The state murder trial is set to begin Sept. 8, while jury selection for the federal trial, which includes stalking charges, is scheduled to begin Oct. 13.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty in both cases, and faces the possibility of life in prison if convicted in either case.

Watch the clip above via CNN.

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