Luigi Mangione back in court for hearing about search procedures during his arrest

Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is back in federal court Friday at a hearing focused on his backpack. 

He was wearing tan prison clothes with his hands unshackled and feet shackled. 

Friday's hearing will determine if the 27-year-old's backpack was lawfully searched during his December 2024 arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald's.

Garnett said the hearing will be, "about the established or standardized procedures in use by the Department in December 2024 for securing, safeguarding, and, if applicable, inventorying the personal property of a person arrested in a public place."    

The defense argued it was a warrantless search and asked the judge to suppress the evidence found inside. Police found a 3D-printed handgun, loaded magazine, notebook, map and a "survival kit." 

Officers testified that it's standard procedure to take property like a backpack from a suspect during an arrest. A preliminary search of the backpack would have also been standard procedure. 

Mangione has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges related to Thompson's killing. He could face the death penalty if convicted on some of the federal charges.

His lawyers are trying to get two federal counts dismissed, including the one carrying the possibility of the death penalty.

Judge Margaret Garnett said jury selection will start Sept. 8. Opening statements will start Oct. 13 if it's not a capital case. If it is, they will start Jan. 11, 2027.