Luigi Mangione Case Latest: Accused UnitedHealthcare CEO Assassin Returns to Court as Judge Sets Date for Jury Selection in Federal Trial
Luigi Mangione was back in court Friday.
Jan. 23 2026, Published 4:34 p.m. ET
Luigi Mangione was back in federal court on Friday as lawyers for the alleged killer of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson continue to request certain items found in his backpack be excluded from the trial.
At today's hearing, a judge announced jury selection will begin on Sept. 8, and the trial could begin in October.
Mangione Wants Evidence Thrown Out
Lawyers for the alleged assassin want certain evidence thrown out.
Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to federal and state murder charges, which carry the possibility of life in prison. This is just the latest of several court hearings in which defense attorneys have asked to disqualify the backpack items after what they contend was an illegal search, because police had not yet obtained a warrant.
Among the evidence Mangione's lawyers want to prevent the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office from presenting to jurors is a 9 mm handgun that prosecutors claim matches the one used in the December 4, 2024, killing in New York City.
Another piece of crucial evidence they want booted is a journal in which they allege Mangione described his intent to "wack" the 50-year-old.
Friday's testimony came from just one witness – an officer from the Altoona Police Department who was not an arresting officer but was called to testify about proper police procedures "for securing, safeguarding, and, if applicable, inventorying the personal property of a person arrested in a public place."
Nathan Snyder, deputy chief of the Altoona Police, testified that if officers found something illegal, like drugs, they would typically pause to get an official search warrant. However, Snyder did say that if officers found a gun or similar weapon, they would continue searching for other dangerous items without the need of a warrant.
U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett has said he'll rule on evidence issues in May.
The Alleged Gun and a Notebook Could Be Disqualified
Mangione was charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Mangione was charged with the murder of Thompson, who was shot outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel while he was walking to a conference alone in December 2024, following a five-day manhunt.
He was found at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and allegedly had the gun used, multiple IDs, and a manifesto in his possession.
The defense also seeks to suppress some of Mangione’s statements to investigators, including allegedly providing a false name, as police are believed to have begun questioning the suspect before reading him his rights.
The possible loss of the journal could be especially damaging to prosecutors, who had previously quoted some of the accused in court filings.
Mangione Left a 'Revealing Journal'
He allegedly shot the businessman in the back in New York City.
In one journal post, dated August 2024, Mangione is believed to have written, "I finally feel confident about what I will do. The details are coming together. And I don't feel any doubt about whether it's right/justified. I'm glad in a way that I've procrastinated [because] it allowed me to learn more about [UnitedHealthcare]."
In another entry from October 2024, Mangione allegedly wrote down a countdown to the attack in New York City for a conference.
Per the court filing, Mangione wrote the conference "embodies everything wrong with our health system, and-most importantly-the message becomes self-evident."
Mangione's Major Legal Victory
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Jury selection for his trial could start later this year.
Mangione already scored a major legal victory in September, after two charges of terrorism against him were dropped.
Judge Gregory Carro dismissed murder in the first degree in furtherance of an act of terrorism and murder in the second degree as a crime of terrorism, writing the statute "cannot be interpreted so broadly so as to cover individuals or groups who are not normally viewed as terrorists."
The judge explained Mangione's case does not meet the standards of terrorism: "The defendant's targeted killing of one individual – although abhorrent and despicable – is not comparable.
"While the defendant was clearly expressing an animus toward UHC and the health care industry generally, it does not follow that his goal was to intimidate or coerce a civilian population."
