Hearing in Luigi Mangione case canceled after reports he is sick

NEW YORK - A planned day of testimony in the murder case against Luigi Mangione was abruptly canceled Friday after court officials said the defendant was sick, pausing a weeklong evidentiary hearing that has focused on whether key statements and physical evidence will be allowed at trial.

Mangione, 27, is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as he walked to an investor conference on Dec. 4, 2024. He has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges.

Friday’s cancellation came as attorneys were expected to continue debating whether police lawfully questioned Mangione and searched his backpack during his arrest in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The sudden pause means the hearing — already expected to stretch into next week — will resume at a later date to be determined.

What we know:

Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges in the Dec. 4, 2024 shooting. Before a trial is scheduled, his lawyers are seeking to suppress key evidence, including statements he made to police and items seized from his backpack during his arrest in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

What's next:

Friday’s cancellation leaves unclear when testimony will resume. Court officials did not immediately specify the nature of Mangione’s reported illness or whether the delay is expected to extend into next week.

The hearing’s outcome will determine whether jurors ultimately see some of the most critical evidence in a case that has drawn national attention for its rare intersection of corporate leadership and violent crime.

What happened Thursday?

The delay follows a significant day in court Thursday, which fell on the one-year anniversary of Thompson’s killing and featured new evidence, 911 audio and testimony from one of the first officers to encounter Mangione.

Prosecutors played the 911 call from a McDonald’s employee in Altoona, who reported that a masked customer resembled the suspect in Thompson’s death. Responding officers soon confronted Mangione, who continued speaking with them for nearly 20 minutes before being informed of his Miranda rights, according to body-camera footage.

Investigators also displayed items recovered from Mangione, including a fake New Jersey ID under the name "Mark Rosario," cash, a money clip, a flashlight, a Sharpie marker, a laptop, and a sheet of handwritten "future plans." Authorities said they also found a bus ticket issued under a second alias, "Sam Dawson."

Only one witness testified Thursday: Altoona Police Officer Tyler Frye, who described questioning Mangione inside the restaurant and conducting a strip search after his arrest. Defense attorneys argue officers violated Mangione’s rights by questioning him before advising him of his right to remain silent and by searching his backpack without a warrant. They are seeking to suppress a 9 mm handgun and a notebook that prosecutors say link Mangione to the killing.