Luigi Mangione’s evidence hearing so far — in sound and photos
In a gripping court case unfolding in Manhattan, Luigi Mangione faces serious charges, including the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Central to the prosecution’s case is evidence obtained during Mangione’s arrest in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he allegedly provided police with a forged ID under the name “Mark Rosario.” The police were initially called to a McDonald’s where Mangione was reported for suspicious behavior, but the situation escalated quickly as they discovered a potential link to the high-profile murder case. Prosecutors assert that the Glock-style firearm found in Mangione’s backpack matches the shell casings from the ambush shooting of Thompson, while a handwritten “manifesto” allegedly outlines Mangione’s plans to target the healthcare executive.
During the court proceedings, Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann presented various pieces of evidence, including audio from the original 911 call that depicted a seemingly benign situation, with the McDonald’s manager apologizing for the disturbance. However, as the police arrived, they recognized Mangione as a suspect in the Thompson case, having seen social media posts and surveillance footage detailing the shooting. Testimonies from law enforcement officials indicated that Mangione’s behavior raised red flags, prompting them to conduct a search that revealed not only the firearm but also a significant amount of cash, including $7,800 in large bills and foreign currency. The hearing has seen multiple witnesses testify about the circumstances of Mangione’s arrest, the evidence discovered, and the legality of the search, which Mangione’s defense is challenging.
As the case continues, the courtroom drama intensifies with each piece of evidence introduced. The prosecution’s narrative paints a picture of a calculated individual whose actions may have been driven by a deep-seated grudge against the healthcare industry. The ongoing hearings will further explore the admissibility of the evidence collected, which could play a pivotal role in determining Mangione’s fate. With the stakes high and the public’s attention focused on the proceedings, this case not only highlights the complexities of the legal system but also the tragic circumstances surrounding the untimely death of a prominent business leader.
The license Luigi Mangione is charged with forging bears the false name “Mark Rosario” and a fake New Jersey address.
Manhattan District Attorney’s Office/Business Insider
Luigi Mangione has been in court in NY fighting the admissibility of evidence tied to his arrest.
Mangioni stands accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Here are some of the images and audio presented at the hearing, which continues Monday.
Luigi Mangione
does not want future jurors to see the gun and handwritten “manifesto” that his arresting officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, say they pulled from his backpack.
No surprise there. The Glock-style metal-and-3D-printed 9mm is a match, prosecutors say, to shell casings and a bullet from the fatal ambush shooting, five days prior, of
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
. And
Mangione’s writings
? Prosecutors say they detail the 28-year-old Baltimore native’s plan to “wack” a healthcare insurance company’s CEO.
Mangione and his lawyers have been in state court in Manhattan since Monday, arguing that the backpack was unlawfully searched without a warrant.
Six law enforcement witnesses have testified, and the court hearing is set to continue next week. Here are some of the images and audio presented in court so far — and why they matter.
The original 911 call — laughter, apologies, a bagel order.
Prosecutors, led by
Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann
, bear the burden of proving that Altoona Police acted professionally, even calmly.
To that end, some of the first evidence Seidemann presented was this 911 audio, which sets the stage for what was to come. Police say they arrived at the McDonald’s expecting the visit to be uneventful in part because
the manager who made the call was so apologetic
— insisting she was only seeking to appease her customers. Dispatch listed the call as “Priority: Low.”
Prosecutors say Mangione tried to throw cops off the scent by claiming he was a “homeless” guy named “Mark.” He handed them this ID.
The license Luigi Mangione is charged with forging bears the false name “Mark Rosario” and a fake New Jersey address.
Manhattan District Attorney’s Office/Business Insider
“What’s your name?” the first of two patrolmen entering the McDonald’s asked. “Uh, Mark,” Mangione answered, according to sealed police bodycam footage shown in court Monday.
He told them he was homeless.
Here is the New Jersey license that Mangione then gave the two cops. Moments later, he complied with the command to pull down his blue and white paper medical mask. “I knew it was him immediately,” Patrolman Joseph Detwiler testified, adding, “I stayed calm.”
Bodycam footage showed the officer whistling along as Jingle Bell Rock played on the McDonald’s sound system — to keep Mangione calm as well, he told the judge.
An arresting officer testified he was concerned Luigi Mangione could be dangerous, in part because he’d seen images like this one.
A still photo from sidewalk surveillance video that was shown at the hearing of the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Manhattan District Attorney’s Office/Business Insider
Detwiler had closely followed the manhunt for Thompson’s killer, the veteran patrolman told
New York Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro
from the witness stand.
He’d said he’d seen NYPD social media postings publicizing the as-yet-unnamed shooting suspect’s face. Elsewhere online, he had seen surveillance footage of the shooting, which was played in court.
“I knew in New York that they hadn’t found the firearm,” Detwiler testified to explain that safety was behind the decision to frisk Mangione and search his backpack before arresting him on the initial Pennsylvania charges of forgery and providing a false ID to law enforcement.
Additional evidence was taken from Mangione at Altoona’s police station, including a small folding knife and $7,800 in large bills.
Currency taken from Luigi Mangione by Altoona, Pennsylvania police included 77 $100 bills and one $50 bill.
Manhattan District Attorney’s Office/Business Insider
Before they left the McDonald’s, Mangione alerted the police to a small folding knife they’d failed to find in his pocket. It was of legal size, Detwiler’s partner, Patrolman Tyler Frye, testified Thursday, adding that even so, “It could possibly hurt somebody — seriously.”
At the Altoona police station, a more thorough search of Mangione’s clothing and backpack recovered $7,800 in large bills and currency from Thailand, Japan, and India, totaling $1,620. “There’s a gun,” Patrolwoman Christy Wasser is heard saying in footage showing her searching Mangione’s backpack.
Given the gun and the overlooked knife, the decision was made to
strip-search Mangione.
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