A year after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot on a Manhattan street, the man charged with his murder returned to court Thursday to hear testimony about his arrest.
Luigi Mangione appeared for a third second consecutive day as his defense team is seeking to exclude his backpack and its contents from evidence during the trial, arguing police searched the bag without a warrant and violated his Fourth Amendment rights
Only one witness took the stand Thursday — Altoona Police Officer Tyler Frye, who was among the first officers to arrive when Mangione was taken into custody at a McDonald’s. Frye testified that Mangione asked the responding officers for their names and apologized for any inconvenience he may have caused.
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Defense attorneys questioned the justification for searching the backpack, noting Frye said Mangione had done nothing to threaten officer safety while in custody. A total of 13 officers responded to the McDonald’s that morning, also raising questions from the defense about why such a large police presence was necessary.
Meanwhile, prosecutors displayed an image of a piece of paper found on Mangione that listed future plans as well as what appeared to be a checklist of items for a survival kit and tools. Police also recovered a bus ticket purchased under the name Sam Dawson for travel from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
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The pre-trial hearings are moving slowly and expected to stretch into next week. It's important to note that hearings like these are common as many criminal cases have disputes over what evidence can be presented at trial.
