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In a New York City courtroom, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office announced on Tuesday that it would exclude certain statements made by Luigi Mangione while he was in police custody in Pennsylvania. Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan sidewalk last year. The decision came during the eighth day of an evidence suppression hearing, which will determine what evidence will be used in Mangione's upcoming trial.
According to ABC7, the controversy surrounds recordings made by New York police in an Altoona, Pennsylvania, police station after Mangione's arrest on December 9, 2024. Lieutenant David Leonardi, who led the investigation, admitted in court that he did not know whether it was legal to record someone without their knowledge in Pennsylvania. Mangione had requested an attorney, and although investigators left the room, the recording continued.
Defense attorney Marc Agnifilo challenged the legality of the recordings, leading to the DA's decision to withdraw the statements. Results Radio Online reported that the defense also argued that the officers violated Mangione's rights against illegal search and seizure by searching his backpack without a warrant.
The hearing also featured security footage of Mangione at a Best Buy and a CVS drug store, which was among the evidence turned over to the NYPD. The trial will proceed with the remaining evidence, and the court will determine the admissibility of other contested pieces of evidence in the coming days.
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