New York [US], February 22 : Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a busy Manhattan sidewalk, attended a status hearing on Friday in New York City, CNN reported.
Arriving in shackles on his hands and ankles, Mangione wore a bulletproof vest over a green sweater. Judge Gregory Carro denied a request from Mangione's attorney to remove the shackles.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to state charges but has not yet entered a plea on federal murder charges related to Thompson's death. Thompson was killed while walking toward a hotel for UnitedHealthcare's annual investor conference in Midtown Manhattan on December 4.
Prosecutors provided evidence to Mangione's defence team, including body camera footage, police reports, surveillance videos, cell phone data from a phone dropped at the scene, autopsy reports, forensic files from the medical examiner, and DNA testing materials. However, some additional materials still need to be handed over.
Judge Carro scheduled Mangione's next court appearance for June 26 and set deadlines for his legal team to file motions.
Mangione's attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, stated that her focus is on current discussions with federal prosecutors, who are still undecided about pursuing the death penalty. She also emphasised the need for full access to discovery materials before submitting any motions.
"There are three separate prosecutions that are happening about one event," said Agnifilo, referring to the federal, New York State and Pennsylvania charges against her client.
She also said she believes Mangione's constitutional rights were violated when officers seized his belongings during his arrest in Pennsylvania. She plans to challenge some of the evidence taken by law enforcement at the time. "I think there is a very, very serious search issue in this material," she said. "There might be evidence that might be suppressed in this case," CNN reported.
New York prosecutors had charged Mangione, who was arrested at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania on December 9, with one count of murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
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