LUIGI Mangione has accused cops of tricking him to get his DNA by offering him a snack following his arrest.
The alleged assassin, 26, claimed cops offered him food and drinks at the McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania after he was arrested in December – and then used the snacks for DNA testing.
ReutersLuigi Mangione, 26, eating a hashbrown at McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 2024[/caption]
AFPMangione leaving the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, on December 19, 2024[/caption]
GettyMangione, who is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson[/caption]
Mangione is now trying to get the DNA thrown out in his murder trial as he’s accused of shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 4, 2024.
His attorney, Thomas Dickey, said cops only gave Mangione food so they could get the sample.
The suspect was pictured munching on a McDonald’s hashbrown on the morning he was handcuffed and thrown behind bars before being extradited to New York City.
Dickey added the DNA samples were “poisonous fruits” because they were obtained from an illegal search, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
His legal team said the cops who approached Mangione on the morning of December 9 didn’t even have a proper legal reason to do so.
In the 36 pages of documents, the Pennsylvania defense attorney argued cops confronted Mangione “based on a hunch.”
He said cops had “no objective grounds” for nabbing Mangione.
Mangione’s attorneys also claimed the cops illegally took his bag and the notebook containing his alleged manifesto.
Cops previously revealed the manifesto indicated Mangione allegedly had premeditated plans to shoot Thompson dead on a Manhattan street.
However, Dickey claimed using Mangione’s personal experiences and writing wasn’t fair – and he said they shouldn’t have even called it a manifesto.
Dickey said calling it a manifesto was “done so solely for the purpose to prejudice [Mangione] and put him in a negative light before the public; all in an effort to prejudice any potential jury pool.”
His legal team submitted the filing asking to get rid of all evidence against Mangione when he was first arrested in Pennsylvania.
In Pennsylvania, Mangione faces charges of forgery, giving a fake ID to police, and possession of an unlicensed firearm.
Even if the DNA evidence was thrown out in the Pennsylvania case, he would still face the federal and New York state charges against him.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to 11 state charges including first-degree murder, second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism, and multiple weapons charges.
He hasn’t entered a plea yet for his federal charges of murder through the use of a firearm, two stalking charges, and a firearms offense.
The alleged assassin is now awaiting trial behind bars in New York City in connection to Thompson’s execution-style murder.
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