Luigi Mangione heads back to court for pretrial hearings in NYC. Here’s what his attorneys are arguing.

Luigi Mangione | Courtesy: MGN

Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old accused of fatally gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December in New York City, is expected to appear in court Monday in Manhattan.

The defense argues certain evidence should not be allowed during trial, so the judge has scheduled a series of suppression hearings, which are expected to last several days, possibly a week.

The evidence that Mangione’s defense wants to suppress at trial

Mangione’s defense attorneys argue statements he made to law enforcement should be suppressed because they claim officers failed to provide Miranda warnings, which is when a suspect is informed of their constitutional rights.

The defense also argues evidence seized at the time of his arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, shouldn’t be allowed because they claim law enforcement did a warrantless search of his backpack after he was handcuffed and surrounded by officers.

Among the items inside the backpack were a gun with a 3D printed receiver, ammunition and a red notebook he allegedly used as his diary. One of the entries reads in part, “The target is insurance. It checks every box.”

There was also a note to the FBI that read in part, “Frankly, these parasites had it coming.”

“The prosecution argues that there was good reason to search the bag immediately because they had to find out if there was anything dangerous in the bag,” explained legal analyst Rich Schoenstein. “If you’ve just arrested somebody who you think has shot a man in the back in the middle of the street, you might be worried about what else is in that bag, and indeed there was a weapon in that bag, so I think the prosecution has the stronger argument here.”

Defense attorneys don’t want the notebook entries or other writings put into evidence at these hearings, claiming it will prejudice Mangione if they are made public and potential jurors hear about it.

Luigi Mangione trial update

The defense also argues against non-eyewitness identification testimony at trial, meaning someone who was not a witness to an alleged crime who makes an identification from a picture or video.

Prosecutors deny the defense’s allegations.

The defense has also renewed its request for Mangione to sit unshackled at the defense table. They want at least one hand free so he can write.

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to nine state charges, including murder. Back in September, a judge dropped two terrorism-related charges.

If convicted of the top count, he faces 25 years to life in prison. He is also facing a federal death penalty trial.