A gun and notebook that prosecutors say link Luigi Mangione to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson can be used as evidence at his murder trial, a judge ruled Monday, rejecting a defense argument that they were seized illegally, before a search warrant was obtained.
Judge Gregory Carro’s decision, five months after he held a hearing to examine how police came upon the items, is a major win for prosecutors, enabling them to show the jury a possible murder weapon and evidence they say points to motive. That mirrors an earlier ruling in Mangione’s federal case.
The judge allowed evidence obtained during a subsequent inventory of his backpack at the police station, but said evidence found during an initial search of Mangione’s backpack during his arrest at a McDonald’s restaurant must be suppressed, including a gun ammunition magazine, cellphone, passport, wallet and computer chip. “I find that the search of backpack at the McDonald’s was an improper warrantless search,” the judge said.
Mangione’s state murder trial is set to begin on Sept. 8. Jury selection for his federal trial, which involves stalking charges, is scheduled to start on Oct. 13, with opening statements and testimony beginning on Nov. 4. The state trial is expected to take four to six weeks.
Mangione, 28, has pleaded not guilty in both cases. He faces the possibility of life in prison if he is convicted in either one.
“Improper and warrantless” but apparently not illegal.
“Improper and warrantless” but useful to the State.
Hmmm, why that is? 🧐
I thought there were also issues with the backpack breaking chain of custody before it was searched? That would presumably be a different matter, though.
Yeah when search on the spot none of this was there. Then the cunt of a cop takes in her car and by time she arrives at the police station all this suddenly found.
It clear cut planeted evidence but apparently that okay according to this judge.
She also handles it without gloves on the drop off
Iirc that custody issue was between the local and federal investigators. So it’s only relevant in the federal case.
With liberty and Justice proportional to your ability to pay.
So if I am understanding this correctly:
The judge allowed evidence obtained during a subsequent inventory of his backpack at the police station, but said evidence found during an initial search of Mangione’s backpack during his arrest at a McDonald’s restaurant must be suppressed, including a gun ammunition magazine, cellphone, passport, wallet and computer chip.
The things the cops pulled out at mcdonald’s is inadmissible. But once the backpack was more thoroughly searched after he had been read his rights and taken into custody are still good. So I assume one zipper pocket versus the other?
I ANAL (and am not a lawyer) but it mostly looks like this is just going to hurt attempts to claim he was planning to fleet the country (which already seems unlikely since he was sitting in a mcdonald’s days later rather than already on a non-extradition treaty beach).
This… definitely feels bullshit. But I suspect it also doesn’t matter. Because… you know how everyone is starting to realize flock cameras are bad? Yes, those have exploded but they (and similar) aren’t particularly new and NYC already had a LOT of traffic cameras and the like. Odds are there is already a full timeline of camera footage tracing A Guy What Looks Vaguely Like Luigi to and from the site of the alleged shooting and then all the way to mickey d’s. Having the ghost glock and the manifesto just means the prosecution/government doesn’t have to fully disclose the rest.
I still have doubts.
