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Federal Judge Allows Jury to View Key Luigi Mangione Evidence in Major Blow to Defense
Mediaite ^ | May 18, 2026 | Jennifer Bowers Bahney

Posted on 05/18/2026 8:31:31 AM PDT by Miami Rebel

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.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: donutwatch; mangione

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To: Lurker

Ok. You have your opinion, I have mine.


21 posted on 05/18/2026 8:54:34 AM PDT by nonliberal (Pinochet did nothing wrong.)
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To: paulcissa

You obviously missed my tagline. 😀


22 posted on 05/18/2026 8:55:10 AM PDT by nonliberal (Pinochet did nothing wrong.)
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To: nonliberal

“ You have your opinion, I have mine.”

Mine doesn’t include countenancing cold blooded murder.

Yours does.

That makes you the monster.

L


23 posted on 05/18/2026 8:56:58 AM PDT by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: nonliberal
You say assassination, I say justice. God works in mysterious ways and uses unlikely people.

Well, I hope someone doesn't take umbrage with anything you've done in your past and decides to take "justice" with you in your approved manner.

24 posted on 05/18/2026 8:57:25 AM PDT by IYAS9YAS (There are two kinds of people: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.)
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To: Lurker

Sometimes the best way to fight evil is with another form of evil. But Luigi’s evil is dwarfed by Thompson’s.


25 posted on 05/18/2026 8:58:30 AM PDT by nonliberal (Pinochet did nothing wrong.)
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To: IYAS9YAS
You do not settle matters like this with assassinations.

True, but firstly the CEO himself had the option to settle the matter, and secondly the government had the option to settle the matter. When a lone 26-year-old is settling the matter, it's a sign that something is very wrong with the system.

26 posted on 05/18/2026 8:59:13 AM PDT by T.B. Yoits
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To: nonliberal

Pinochet would have put Mangione on that helicopter.


27 posted on 05/18/2026 8:59:39 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: T.B. Yoits
When a lone 26-year-old is settling the matter, it's a sign that something is very wrong with the system.

Or it could just be that the 26-year old wanted to achieve some sort of notoriety by just being the first to "appoint" and execute a random victim to become the scapegoat for the entire insurance industry. After all, all of the press and limelight comes from being the first to the post ...

28 posted on 05/18/2026 9:04:56 AM PDT by BlueLancer (POOKIE'S TOONS - https://www.therightreasons.net/forum/35-todaystoons/)
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To: Miami Rebel

Brian Thompson was worth over $40 million when he was murdered.
Enough for his wife to take care of mangione if he ever gets out. Or maybe have him taken care of in prison.


29 posted on 05/18/2026 9:09:15 AM PDT by Palio di Siena (Kralik…..you get the wallet)
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To: nonliberal
Luigi Mangione is not the monster here. I hope he does walk.

So you are OK with someone getting away with cold blooded murder?

30 posted on 05/18/2026 9:09:15 AM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
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To: paulcissa

“Who else is it “OK” to murder?”

it depends on your definition of Murder and your definition of Justice.

I bet a lot of people here would not be upset if Fauci and danzig were terminated for example.


31 posted on 05/18/2026 9:09:33 AM PDT by algore ( )
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To: unixfox

And you are ok with someone getting obscenely wealthy of the pain, suffering and death of people who relied on their insurance when they needed it?


32 posted on 05/18/2026 9:17:30 AM PDT by nonliberal (Pinochet did nothing wrong.)
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To: algore

Yup. Add the wholesale slaughter of the lockdown and mandate enforcers as well.


33 posted on 05/18/2026 9:18:40 AM PDT by nonliberal (Pinochet did nothing wrong.)
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To: algore

I bet a lot of people here would not be upset if Fauci and danzig were terminated for example.


After the trial.


34 posted on 05/18/2026 9:23:55 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
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To: nonliberal

We all get screwed over by insurance companies, gas companies, electric companies, etc,etc,etc...

But I don’t go around killing people because of it!


35 posted on 05/18/2026 9:39:39 AM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
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To: nonliberal

Brian Thompson murdered legally from behind a desk.


Which may or not have been true, but it didn’t give Mangione the right or the role to act as judge, jury, and executioner. The same kind of thinking says that it’s just fine to attempt to assassinate President Trump because he’s a really really bad man.


36 posted on 05/18/2026 9:42:09 AM PDT by hanamizu
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To: Miami Rebel

Some judge dismissed his backpack search as unlawful, and yeah, he’ll walk.


37 posted on 05/18/2026 9:46:57 AM PDT by SkyDancer ( ~ Am Yisrael Chai ~)
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To: algore
I bet a lot of people here would not be upset if Fauci and danzig were terminated for example.

There seem to be some people on the other side of the "political spectrum" who are perfectly OK with shooting (at) Republican politicians. There was, for example, the Bernie Sanders Supporter who opened up on the Republican congressional baseball team. Other communists/socialists/democRATs have mistaken President Trump for a clay pigeon. We rightly condemn them.

38 posted on 05/18/2026 9:52:30 AM PDT by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: nonliberal
obscenely wealthy

That's a socialist concept.

I condemn socialism.

39 posted on 05/18/2026 9:53:22 AM PDT by NorthMountain (... the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed)
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To: nonliberal

I won’t shed any tears for Thompson but I also don’t want this country to turn into a Mafia-run Sicily.


40 posted on 05/18/2026 9:55:08 AM PDT by mikey_hates_everything
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