Judge rules some items excluded from evidence in Luigi Mangione trial - UPI.com

A New York state judge ruled Monday that some items found in Luigi Mangione’s backpack at the time of his arrest will be excluded from evidence in his trial. Pool Photo by Jeena Moon/UPI | License Photo

May 18 (UPI) -- A New York state judge ruled Monday that some items found in Luigi Mangione's backpack at the time of his arrest will be excluded from evidence in his trial.

Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Gregory Carro ordered items that will be excluded include a handgun magazine, cellphone, passport, wallet and computer chip, but the alleged murder weapon and writings will be submitted into evidence.

Mangione's attorneys argued that Altoona, Pa., police illegally searched the backpack when arresting him at a McDonald's in 2024. Carro said Mangione could not have accessed the backpack during the arrest and evidence found in the backpack during the search "must be suppressed."

Carro said the justification for searching the backpack was not sufficient. Law enforcement officials said they were concerned there may be a bomb in the backpack.