Judge Tosses Some Evidence in Luigi Mangione Case, but Allows Gun and Notebook

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]Welcome back to Entity Evening News. A high-stakes decision today in the Luigi Mangione case. State court judge Gregory Carro deciding to toss some key evidence found in Mangione's backpack, but keeping the rest. Entity's Arlene Richards has those details.

[00:00:15]A New York state court judge on Monday deciding that the prosecution in the Luigi Mangione case can show the jury a 9-mm handgun and silencer that was found in Mangione's backpack at a police station in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The same judge also deciding today that a search conducted in that same backpack was unlawful at a McDonald's.

[00:00:38]Judge Gregory Carro taking less than 5 minutes on Monday ruling that a search of Mangione's backpack conducted at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania was unlawful.

[00:00:47]He excluded a loaded magazine and ammunition recovered during that search from being admitted at trial. Carro said that search was conducted without a warrant and there was not any emergency that justified an immediate search without the warrant. Other items found during that search included a sandwich, a cell phone, and a flash drive. On the other hand, the judge ruled that a later search at the police station was lawful allowing prosecutors to keep key evidence including a 9-mm handgun and silencer for their case at trial. Police also found in that later search a notebook containing handwritten notes including a to-do list, getaway directions, and how to avoid surveillance. In addition, the judge ruled that some of the statements Mangione made to police prior to his arrest as well as statements he made to correctional officers at a Pennsylvania facility would be admissible at trial.

[00:01:39]Other statements he made in response to police questioning after he was officially placed under arrest are excluded. The split decision gives both prosecutors and the defense partial victories as the case moves toward the trial.

[00:01:53]The judge's ruling today sets in motion the next steps for the trial. He's scheduled another hearing to be conducted virtually on June 3rd in which they will discuss scheduling as well as the trial itself. Arleen Richards reporting from the New York State Criminal Court here in New York City.