Prosecutors in US seek to bar evidence linked to 3D-printed gun and writings of suspect in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO.
A pretrial hearing is underway for Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of Brian Thompson, who was shot dead in December. During the hearing on Monday, a prison guard testified that Mangione admitted to having a 3D-printed pistol in his backpack during questioning.
However, defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo cast doubt on the guard's assertion, suggesting he made the incriminating statement without being asked any questions and that the guard had not been seeking information from him at all.
Prosecutors claim Mangione's statements to law enforcement and the contents of his backpack could be key pieces of evidence in the trial. However, Mangione's lawyers argue they should be inadmissible as he was illegally searched and not given proper notice of his legal rights.
The hearing is a critical moment for Mangione's defence as eliminating the gun and notebook from admissible evidence would represent major setbacks for prosecutors. The gun could serve as a murder weapon, while Mangione's writings allegedly implicate him in the killing by praising the late 'Unabomber' Theodore Kaczynski.
Prosecutors have quoted extensively from Mangione's writings in court filings, including his alleged praise for the late 'Unabomber', who carried out a series of mail bombings between 1978 and 1995.
Mangione, an Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy Maryland family, has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges and is expected to face trial next year.
A pretrial hearing is underway for Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer of Brian Thompson, who was shot dead in December. During the hearing on Monday, a prison guard testified that Mangione admitted to having a 3D-printed pistol in his backpack during questioning.
However, defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo cast doubt on the guard's assertion, suggesting he made the incriminating statement without being asked any questions and that the guard had not been seeking information from him at all.
Prosecutors claim Mangione's statements to law enforcement and the contents of his backpack could be key pieces of evidence in the trial. However, Mangione's lawyers argue they should be inadmissible as he was illegally searched and not given proper notice of his legal rights.
The hearing is a critical moment for Mangione's defence as eliminating the gun and notebook from admissible evidence would represent major setbacks for prosecutors. The gun could serve as a murder weapon, while Mangione's writings allegedly implicate him in the killing by praising the late 'Unabomber' Theodore Kaczynski.
Prosecutors have quoted extensively from Mangione's writings in court filings, including his alleged praise for the late 'Unabomber', who carried out a series of mail bombings between 1978 and 1995.
Mangione, an Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy Maryland family, has pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges and is expected to face trial next year.
this whole thing just seems so complicated... like mangione's statements are getting twisted around to fit the prosecutors' narrative 
and they're using his writings about the 'unabomber' as evidence, but like, how much of that stuff was he really saying out loud? 
was it just a coincidence that the guard happened to overhear him talking about the gun in his backpack or did he actually make a deliberate confession? 
and what's with the defence team trying to discredit the prison guard like that? seems like they're trying to muddy the waters, but is that really a fair thing to do? 
... like, what's next? People gonna start printing guns in their basements?! It's crazy to think that Mangione might've made a statement without even realizing it, and now his lawyers are trying to trash the whole thing because of some questionable questioning 
. I mean, you can't help but wonder what went through Mangione's mind, knowing he was writing stuff like that and then going on to kill someone 
. Anyway, gotta keep an eye on this one - it's gonna be a wild ride 
. But at the same time, if they can't get the gun and notebook evidence to show up in court, it's like a big win for his defence team 
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. But until Mangione gets to trial next year, we'll just have to wait and see how things play out 
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. and btw, isn't it wild that Mangione just casually mentions having a 3D-printed pistol without even being asked questions by the guard? sounds legit 
. prosecutors are really reaching for anything to make this case stick, but Mangione's lawyers are like "nope, not buying it" 
his writings seem kinda intense lol 
does he actually think he's some kinda copycat or somethin'? 
. And yeah, a prison guard just says he admitted to having a 3D-printed pistol... that's super suspicious! Why would Mangione voluntarily admit to something incriminating if he had nothing to hide? 
The defence is totally on point here and I'm low-key rooting for them 
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but at the same time, if he was really that deep into some crazy ideology and wrote all those nasty things about the Unabomber 
then maybe we should be taking him seriously as a suspect 
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. And those prosecutors trying to bar out evidence? It's like they're reaching for straws. I mean, come on, if you've got solid evidence, let 'em see it! Don't try to jam the jury with some questionable testimony 
. I'm keeping an eye on this one, folks. Stay vigilant, everyone! 