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NEW YORK — Months after a judge greenlit access to a laptop for reviewing critical evidence, Luigi Mangione, the man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, remains without the device in jail. This significant delay is reportedly creating a critical time crunch for the defense ahead of an important hearing in his state murder case.
Mangione, 27, has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal facility in Brooklyn, since his arrest in December 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the high-profile killing. The approval for the laptop came in August, yet the process of getting it into his hands has been bogged down by a series of logistical and technical challenges.
The Hurdles to Evidence Access
According to court documents made public by Mangione’s defense lawyers, the delay stems from necessary modifications and the sheer volume of discovery material. The laptop required extensive alterations to comply with jail regulations, specifically disabling internet, printing, and wireless network capabilities. This intricate process, handled by an external technology vendor, reportedly consumed “many weeks to complete,” as detailed by defense lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office, prosecuting the state case, initially opposed Mangione receiving a laptop. Federal prosecutors, handling a separate death penalty case against Mangione, did not take a position on the matter.
Once modified, the device moved to federal prosecutors, who are currently loading it with over seven terabytes of evidence collected in the case. The remaining evidence is slated for an external hard drive, also to be provided to Mangione. This extensive digital evidence — encompassing video files, documents, and various other items — makes a laptop essential, as lawyers argued Mangione could not reasonably review it on shared inmate computers or during limited jail visits.
Critical Hearings Loom
The absence of the laptop places Mangione’s legal team in a precarious position. “Once Mr. Mangione receives the laptop and hard drive, he will need time to meaningfully review” the material before a crucial December 1 hearing, Friedman Agnifilo stated. At this hearing, Mangione’s lawyers plan to argue for the suppression of certain evidence collected during his arrest, including a 9mm handgun, a notebook allegedly detailing an intent to “wack” an insurance executive, and statements made to police.
The anniversary of Brian Thompson’s death on December 4, 2024, is fast approaching. Thompson, 50, was shot as he arrived at a Manhattan hotel for his company’s annual investor conference. Authorities allege that “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” were inscribed on the ammunition, echoing a phrase related to insurance claim practices. Mangione, a former software engineer with an Ivy League background, was apprehended five days later in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Mangione faces two simultaneous legal battles:
- State Case: In September, Judge Gregory Carro dismissed terrorism charges but upheld the intentional murder charge. The December 1 hearing could pave the way for a trial date.
- Federal Case: A January 9 hearing will address defense motions to bar prosecutors from seeking the death penalty and to dismiss some charges, citing alleged prejudice from authorities’ public declarations.
A Prolonged Wait
Mangione’s legal team began seeking laptop access as early as March. Despite Judge Carro’s “no objection” stance in the state case and a federal judge’s order on August 4, specifying daily access from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., more than 100 days have passed without the device reaching the accused. The prolonged wait underscores the complex interplay of judicial orders, correctional facility protocols, and the sheer scale of digital evidence in modern criminal proceedings.