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Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has been granted his request for a laptop while he remains in federal custody awaiting trial.
Mangione’s attorneys requested a personal computer so he can prepare for trial and help in his own defense. Similar provisions have been made for other defendants at Metropolitan Detention Center Brooklyn, the federal jail where Mangione is being held.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office had argued against the laptop request, saying MDC Brooklyn “has ample access to desktop computers.”
The laptop will not be connected to the internet, and Mangione will only be able to access case-related information, like documents and videos.
Mangione faces a slew of federal and state charges in the December 2024 shooting of Thompson outside a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The federal charges are eligible for the death penalty, which federal prosecutors say they intend to pursue.
His attorneys recently accused the Manhattan DA’s office of wrongfully obtaining his medical records by compelling Aetna to turn over confidential information, violating health privacy laws. Sources in the DA’s office said they requested limited information but Aetna sent additional material in error, and they deleted the material as soon as they became aware of them.
Mangione’s defense team also accused the DA’s office of listening to a recording of a phone call with their client, and they are seeking to have at least two of the counts against him thrown out.
Meanwhile, the DA’s office released a filing with handwritten notes they say Mangione wrote and outlined his motive. Arguing in support of the state terrorism charge, prosecutors wrote, “If ever there were an open and shut case pointing to the defendant’s guilt, this case is that case.”
Mangione has pleaded not guilty, and his next court date is set for mid September.
Renee Anderson is a digital producer at CBS New York, where she covers breaking news and other local stories. Before joining the team in 2016, Renee worked at WMUR-TV.
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