Laptop Delay Creates Pre-Hearing Crisis for Accused CEO Killer
Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, remains without a court-approved laptop in jail, more than 100 days after a judge authorised it. His legal team has raised the alarm, stating this delay is creating a severe time pressure with a crucial hearing in his state murder case now less than three weeks away.
The Battle for Evidence Access
Mangione, a 27-year-old former software engineer, has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in December 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to the killing of Thompson and is also confronting a separate federal death penalty case.
A judge initially approved the defence's request for a laptop back in August. However, the process of getting the device into his hands has been stalled by necessary security modifications and the immense volume of evidence that must be loaded onto it.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, one of Mangione's lawyers, explained the lengthy procedure. To comply with strict jail regulations, the laptop had to be sent to an external technology vendor to have its internet, printer, and wireless network connections permanently disabled—a process that alone took "many weeks to complete." These modifications ensure the tech-savvy defendant cannot use the laptop to browse the web or communicate.
The Manhattan district attorney's office, which is prosecuting the state case, opposed providing him with a laptop. Federal prosecutors did not take a formal position.
A Mountain of Evidence and Looming Deadlines
The laptop is currently with federal prosecutors, who are in the process of loading it with a portion of the more than seven terabytes of evidence gathered in the case. The remainder will be stored on an external hard drive also destined for Mangione.
This evidence sharing, known as discovery, is a standard part of criminal procedure designed to ensure a fair trial. Defendants typically assist their lawyers in reviewing this material to help shape their defence strategy.
Friedman Agnifilo emphasised the urgency, noting that once Mangione finally receives the laptop and hard drive, he will need substantial time to "meaningfully review" the vast amount of information before a December 1 hearing. At this hearing, his lawyers will argue to have key evidence suppressed, including a 9mm handgun, a notebook, and statements he made to police.
The cases are reaching critical junctures as the anniversary of the killing approaches. Thompson, 50, was shot dead on December 4, 2024, outside a Manhattan hotel. Mangione was arrested days later in Pennsylvania.
In the federal case, a hearing is scheduled for January 9, where Mangione's legal team will argue against the pursuit of the death penalty.
Despite a federal judge's order on August 4 mandating that Mangione have daily access to a modified, evidence-only laptop, the device has still not been delivered, leaving his defence in a race against time.
