In a significant pretrial decision handed down Monday, May 18, 2026, New York Supreme Court Justice Gregory Carro issued a mixed ruling on evidence in the state murder case against Luigi Mangione, the 28-year-old accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown Manhattan in December 2024.
The judge ruled that several items seized from Mangione’s backpack during his arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, must be suppressed. These include a loaded gun magazine, cellphone, passport, wallet, and computer chip. Carro determined the initial search was an improper warrantless search because the backpack was not in Mangione’s immediate “grabbable area” while he was detained. Some of Mangione’s pre-handcuff statements to officers were also excluded.
However, prosecutors scored a major victory when the judge allowed two of the most critical pieces of evidence: the alleged 3D-printed murder weapon (a 9mm gun with silencer) and a red notebook containing handwritten notes expressing frustration with the healthcare industry, including references to “wacking” a health insurance executive. Those items were recovered during a lawful inventory search of the backpack at the Altoona police station after Mangione’s arrest.
The ruling is seen as a partial win for the defense but leaves prosecutors with strong physical and documentary evidence heading into the state trial, currently scheduled for September 8, 2026. A separate federal case is set for later in the fall.
‘Luigi Girls’ Turn Court Appearances Into Spectacle
Mangione’s court dates have also drawn a dedicated group of female supporters known as the “Luigi Girls” (sometimes self-styled as “Mangionistas”). Since early 2025, these women—often numbering in the dozens or more—have lined up for hours, sometimes camping overnight outside Manhattan Criminal Court, to secure limited public gallery seats.
Dressed in “Free Luigi” apparel and displaying visible emotion, they have become a regular presence at hearings, transforming the proceedings into something of a cultural phenomenon tied to broader public anger over health insurance practices.
On Monday’s hearing, a trio of prominent supporters—Abril Rios, Ashley Rojas, and Lena Weissbrot—who run pro-Mangione Substack newsletters and an Instagram account, attended using city-issued press credentials. Outside the courthouse, they spoke openly to media, with comments that sparked widespread controversy. Rojas stated, “I’m standing on business, fuck Brian Thompson. I don’t give a flying fuck he died.” Weissbrot went further, calling Thompson a “terrorist” and saying his teenage sons were “better off without him.”
Mangione’s lead defense attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, quickly distanced her client from the remarks, issuing a statement that the women “do not represent the views of Luigi, nor the tens of thousands who have shown their support from around the world.”
As Mangione’s state trial approaches, both the evidentiary battles and the unusual public fervor surrounding his supporters continue to keep the high-profile case in the spotlight.
SOURCES:
Judge allows gun and notebook as evidence in Luigi Mangione murder trial | PBS News
Judge denies accused CEO killer Mangione’s bid to toss gun, notebook evidence | Reuters
Why Luigi Mangione evidence was thrown out; what it means for NY trial
Luigi Mangione state trial: Certain evidence suppressed, key evidence allowed – ABC7 Los Angeles
Judge rules gun and writings admissible in Luigi Mangione’s state trial
Meet the ‘Luigi Girls’ who slept outside a courthouse to see the murder suspect in the flesh – AOL
