A lawyer for Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is seeking to dismiss charges against him in Pennsylvania, claiming police used illegal methods to arrest him.
The University of Pennsylvania graduate is accused of fatally shooting Thompson on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk on Dec. 4. Thompson was walking to a company investor conference at the time.
Mangione is believed to have fled the scene on foot before being apprehended by police at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pa., on Dec. 9, concluding a five-day manhunt that gripped Americans.
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At a hearing in New York City on Friday, one of Mangione’s lawyers, Karen Agnifilo, argued that Altoona police violated the law during his detainment, and that evidence obtained during that period should be excluded from trial.
Lawyer Thomas Dickey alleges that police gave Mangione a snack so they could get his DNA.
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He also said Mangione’s DNA samples are “poisonous fruits” of an illegal search, and seeks to have them excluded from the Pennsylvania case.
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According to Reuters, his lawyer said there were “serious search and seizure issues” with Mangione’s arrest.
“There might be evidence that is suppressed in this case,” she added.
Police say they discovered Mangione with a 9mm pistol and silencer, clothing that matched the description of Thompson’s killer and a notebook describing a plan to “wack” an insurance company CEO, the court filing says.
On Dec. 23, Mangione pleaded not guilty to an 11-count indictment charging him with murder as an act of terrorism and weapons offences.
Mangione is also charged federally for stalking and killing Thompson, for which he has not yet entered a plea. Both state and federal cases will run parallel but separately.
In the state case, Mangione faces life in prison without parole if convicted. Meanwhile, prosecutors are considering whether to seek the death penalty for adjacent federal charges. He is currently being held in federal prison in Brooklyn.
Thompson’s killing was widely condemned by public officials, but Mangione is being portrayed as a vigilante-type hero in the eyes of some Americans who believe health insurers decline to cover the cost of some treatments, while high-level employees often pocket huge bonuses.
Friday’s hearing was short and dealt primarily with the handing over of evidence from the prosecutor. Like previous hearings, dozens of Mangione’s supporters gathered outside the courthouse behind police barricades.
Support for Mangione has not waned since his arrest. Last week, an anonymous donor pledged $36,500 to the alleged killer’s GiveSendGo page, created by the December 4 Legal Committee to help pay Mangione’s legal bills. Another mystery supporter donated $30,000.
As of publication timej, the donation page has raised $741,375 of its $1,000,000 target. According to its description, the funds will be distributed among Mangione’s lawyers.
In February, legal representatives for Mangione issued a public plea asking fans of the accused to refrain from sending him so many photos.
“Luigi is allowed to receive photos via Shutterfly and FreePrints in accordance with mail procedures while in custody,” according to a statement from his case’s information website.
“Due to the volume of photos, they could take longer than usual to be screened and shared. Luigi appreciates the photos that are sent and kindly asks that people send no more than five photos at a time. Please note that every photo that is received is screened and reviewed by law enforcement.”
— With files from Reuters
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