Luigi Mangione Dealt New Legal Blow

U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett has ruled that police lawfully seized Luigi Mangione’s backpack when they apprehended him at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s just days after he allegedly shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

The ruling, issued at a packed Manhattan courthouse on Friday afternoon, undermines a significant push by Mangione’s defense to dismiss the case on grounds that the evidence had broken chain of custody or was illegally obtained, which would have excluded crucial evidence against him such as the alleged murder weapon and writings.

However, this does not mean that the evidence within the backpack is automatically admissible in the case, and Garnett will make a further ruling to determine what evidence, if any, should be suppressed, although she said she does not need a further hearing to help her determination, according to ABC News.

Mangione has pled not guilty to the charges of stalking and killing Thompson in New York City in 2024. Prosecutors have sought the death penalty.

This is a breaking news story. Updates will follow.