The attorney representing Luigi Mangion, who faces charges in the assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, recently filed a motion in the New York Supreme Court. The motion aims to limit the evidence used against him and seeks to have the case entirely dismissed.
Karen Friedman Anjifilo, Mangion’s lawyer, argued that a statement made by her client to police at Penn State should be excluded from the trial, as it was given prior to his arrest on December 9. She claims that two officers who encountered Mangion at a McDonald’s effectively had him in custody, which violates his rights.
Friedman Anjifilo also contends that any statements made to these officers should be deemed inadmissible due to an infringement of Mangion’s Fifth Amendment rights.
Moreover, the attorney asserted that evidence obtained from Mangion’s backpack at the time of his arrest should be suppressed. She argues that this search was unlawful as officers did not possess a warrant, thereby violating the Fourth Amendment. According to the motion, the police continued their search of the backpack without a warrant, which was further compounded by the circumstances of his removal from the McDonald’s.
Items retrieved from the backpack raise significant concerns for the defense, including a handgun suspected to be used in the murder, a silencer, and various electronic items like a personal laptop and USB drives.
Additionally, the defense seeks to prevent the prosecution from using eyewitness identification in court. The state plans to present testimonies from NYPD and local police officers regarding surveillance footage to identify Mangion, but the defense argues that these officers are not true eyewitnesses to the crime.
In a broader attempt to dismiss the charges against Mangion, his lawyer claims that the indictment does not establish the necessary elements required for the terrorism charges. She argues that the prosecution has failed to show that Mangion intended to intimidate or impact government policy through his actions.
Friedman Anjifilo further requested that all charges against Mangion be dropped, stating a concern for double jeopardy due to overlapping state and federal cases.
In response, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office plans to submit their applications in court.
Mangion, currently 26, faces several serious federal charges, including stalking and murder related to Thompson’s death outside a Manhattan hotel during a shareholders meeting in early December 2024. Prosecutors suggest the shooting was an act of intimidation against the health insurance sector, especially following a manifesto linked to the case.
If found guilty, Mangion could face the death penalty.
