Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared in a Pennsylvania court for the first time on Monday night. During the court proceedings, the judge took the time to read the entire criminal complaint out loud to Mangione, as he claimed that no one had previously done so.
Prosecutors made two key claims during the court session that Mangione verbally disputed. The first claim was regarding the $8,000 in cash found on Mangione, with prosecutors suggesting he was attempting to evade authorities. Mangione responded by stating that he was unaware of the money's origin and even suggested it may have been planted. The second claim involved a Faraday bag found in Mangione's possession, which blocks cell signals. Prosecutors argued that this indicated criminal sophistication, but Mangione countered by explaining that the bag was simply waterproof and denied any knowledge of criminal intent.
Following the hearing, Mangione was ordered to be held without bail and did not enter a plea. His next court appearance is scheduled for December 23 in Pennsylvania, pending an anticipated warrant from New York.
