Luigi Mangione, the man accused of gunning down a UnitedHealthcare executive in New York City, is seeking to suppress key evidence obtained during his arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald's, arguing police violated his constitutional rights by using deceptive tactics to collect his DNA.
In court filings submitted Monday, Mangione's legal team claims officers in Altoona, Pennsylvania, offered the 26-year-old a snack and soda at the police station after his arrest as a pretext to gather a DNA sample without proper consent. Attorney Thomas Dickey described the method as producing "poisonous fruits" of an illegal search, asserting the evidence must be excluded from trial.
Mangione was apprehended at a McDonald's in Altoona on December 9 following a five-day manhunt. He was allegedly in possession of a 9-millimeter pistol equipped with a silencer, as well as clothing matching that worn by the masked shooter captured in surveillance footage during the fatal December 4 attack on Brian Thompson outside a New York hotel.
Authorities also seized a personal notebook from Mangione's bag, which prosecutors later referred to as a "manifesto." In the filing, Dickey contends police improperly removed the notebook to sway public opinion against his client and taint the jury pool, arguing the writings were merely personal reflections with no evidentiary value. "This characterization of [Mangione's] alleged personal experiences and writings is incorrect, improper, and without justification," the filing reads.
Dickey further claims Altoona police lacked legal grounds to detain Mangione in the first place, accusing officers of acting on a "hunch" without independent corroborating evidence that he was the suspect wanted in New York. "Any reasonable person, innocent of any crime, would have thought that he was being restrained if he had been in the Defendant's shoes," the filing states.
Mangione faces multiple charges across state and federal jurisdictions. In Pennsylvania, he is charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification to police. In New York, he has pleaded not guilty to an 11-count indictment that includes first-degree murder, second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism, and weapons violations. Federal prosecutors have also charged him with murder through use of a firearm, two counts of stalking, and an additional firearms offense.
At the time of his arrest, police reported recovering apparel and weaponry linked to the killing, alongside the notebook allegedly detailing Mangione's intent to "wack" an insurance executive. His attorneys contend this evidence was improperly seized.
Mangione's New York-based attorney, Karen Agnifilo, previously echoed similar objections, filing a motion in February to exclude evidence she claims was obtained during an illegal search. She also maintains her client's not guilty plea and plans to contest the charges at trial.
