The defense attorney for Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is challenging the use of DNA evidence collected from a snack provided to Mangione by Altoona police during his detention. Mangione is facing first-degree murder charges related to an act of terrorism, as well as other state and federal charges in New York and Pennsylvania for allegedly shooting Thompson in Manhattan in December 2024.
Mangione’s attorney, Thomas Dickey, argues that his client’s constitutional rights were violated during his arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, where he fled by bus after the murder. Dickey contends that the DNA obtained from food given to Mangione at the police station was unlawfully collected and should not be admissible in court.
The defense asserts that the DNA samples were acquired with the intention of investigating further, violating Mangione’s rights and the protections provided by the constitutions of the United States and Pennsylvania. The defense also questions the legality of Mangione’s detention and arrest, claiming that any evidence obtained as a result of these actions should be deemed inadmissible.
If the DNA evidence collected during Mangione’s arrest is suppressed, prosecutors would need to rely on other evidence to connect him to the crime scene in Manhattan. While the absence of DNA evidence would complicate the case, experts believe that alternative evidence could still be used to establish Mangione’s presence at the scene of the crime.
Overall, the defense’s arguments center around the legality of Mangione’s arrest and the collection of DNA evidence, emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional rights in the legal proceedings.
Upon approaching Mangione and inquiring about his recent visit to New York City, police noticed him becoming visibly agitated, raising suspicions, as outlined in legal documents. However, Mauro and Mangino believe that Mangione’s apprehension and subsequent DNA collection will be deemed lawful. The attorney stated, “It is my understanding that they contend there was insufficient probable cause for his arrest and detention at the time.” The police had arrived following a report that matched Mangione’s description to a suspect in a murder case in Manhattan. Prior to his arrest, the New York Police Department had issued alerts with the suspect’s photos to the public to aid in identification. Mangione had fled to Pennsylvania by bus where he was recognized by a McDonald’s employee and subsequently reported to the authorities.
Mangione, suspected in the assassination of a UnitedHealthcare CEO, was arrested by Altoona police while having breakfast. Despite initially detaining him on unrelated charges, the officers recognized him and found discrepancies in his identification. When questioned about his recent trip to New York City, Mangione reportedly became nervous, as indicated in the charging documents. A search of his belongings revealed a 3D-printed “ghost gun,” a suppressor, and a forged ID. Additionally, police discovered a document in his possession that his lawyer argued should not be labeled as a manifesto. This document outlined his grievances with the healthcare industry, particularly targeting UnitedHealthcare and the CEO’s scheduled conference in New York.
Mangione allegedly meticulously planned the murder with the intention of sparking a public debate on the healthcare industry, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Prosecutors claim that he intended to travel to New York to locate the CEO, shoot him from behind with the ghost gun and suppressor, and subsequently fled the scene. The NYPD released a surveillance image showing Mangione interacting with a clerk at a check-in counter before the incident.
Luigi Mangione, the suspected gunman in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was captured on surveillance footage at Attan Hostel, where police believe he stayed before the crime. The video of Mangione flirting with a hostel employee went viral, sparking an outpouring of online support for the accused killer. After the shooting on December 4, Mangione reportedly fled the scene, rode a bike to a bus station, and traveled to Altoona, where he was eventually apprehended. Originally from Maryland, Mangione had recently lived in California and Hawaii. He graduated as valedictorian from the Gilman School in Baltimore in 2016 and later earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020. Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz and Jordan Early contributed to this report. Source: Luigi Mangione’s police station snack could help prosecutors link Ivy League suspect to crime scene, experts say.
