Pretrial hearing in Luigi Mangione's murder case postponed due to illness

Published: Friday, December 5, 2025 at 2:58 pm

Mangione Pretrial Hearing Delayed Due to Defendant's Illness

New York City – The pretrial hearing for Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has been postponed due to the defendant's illness. Judge Gregory Carro announced the cancellation of Friday's proceedings, stating the hearing would resume Monday morning. The judge did not disclose the nature of Mangione's illness.

The hearing concerns the admissibility of evidence found in Mangione's possession at the time of his arrest. Mangione was apprehended at a McDonald's following the shooting of Thompson on a New York City sidewalk last year. The defense is seeking to exclude evidence from a backpack, arguing that the police lacked a warrant and justification for searching it.

Testimony from two Altoona, Pennsylvania, patrolmen, who were present at the McDonald's during Mangione's arrest, is expected when the hearing resumes. During Thursday's proceedings, defense attorney Jacob Kaplan questioned Patrolman Tyler Frye about Mangione's behavior, highlighting that Mangione did not act belligerently or attempt to open his backpack.

Prosecutors claim the backpack contained crucial evidence, including a 3D-printed pistol allegedly used in the murder and a notebook with a written statement that prosecutors believe indicates Mangione's motive. The hearing is anticipated to extend into next week. Judge Carro has cautioned both the prosecution and defense about being "duplicative" in their arguments.

BNN's Perspective: The postponement underscores the complexities of the legal process. While the defense's efforts to exclude evidence are standard practice, the prosecution's case hinges on the admissibility of the contents of the backpack. The judge's comments about the arguments being "duplicative" suggest a need for both sides to streamline their presentations to ensure a fair and efficient trial. The outcome of this hearing will significantly impact the direction of the case.

Keywords: Luigi Mangione, Brian Thompson, murder, pretrial hearing, New York City, Judge Gregory Carro, defense, prosecution, evidence, backpack, 3D-printed pistol, Altoona, Pennsylvania, police, arrest, legal proceedings

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