The Pennsylvania police officer who first confronted Luigi Mangione in a McDonald's testified Tuesday in Mangione's state pre-trial hearing. Mangione is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

New York

A Pennsylvania police officer took the stand in the pre-trial hearing for Luigi Mangione, who is accused of murdering the CEO of United Healthcare. The officer described the initial confrontation with Mangione at a McDonald's, detailing how he identified the suspect and the precautions taken during the arrest.

The hearing centers on the defense's attempt to exclude evidence, such as a notebook outlining Mangione's plans and a ghost gun, from the upcoming trial. While the exclusion of this evidence could impact the prosecution's case, other evidence, including DNA from a discarded coffee cup, remains. The judge has yet to decide if the evidence will be admissible for the jury.

Takeaways after cop testifies in Luigi Mangione's pre-trial hearing

We're hearing new testimony in the state pre trial hearing of Luigi Mangione, the man accused of killing the CEO of United Healthcare. Today, law enforcement took the stand. Specifically, we heard from the Pennsylvania police officer who first confronted Mangione in a McDonald's nearly one year ago. The testimony is part of an attempt by Mangione's defense team to have certain evidence excluded from the trial. Mangione is pleaded not guilty to nine counts, including murder. Anna Schecter joins us now. She's a senior coordinating producer for CBS News's Crime and Public Safety Unit. What stood out to you from today's testimony? Well, that testimony of that police officer who documented on the stand what it was like to walk up to approach him. He at first thought it was kind of a joke. He couldn't believe that it could actually be man. This was a massive nationwide manhunt story front page of every newspaper and there was this running joke with his Lieutenant. You know, I'll buy you a hoagie if if you actually catch him. Then he starts to interact with him, and he's wearing a blue surgical mask. Moves that down, and as soon as he pulled that mask down, that's when this officer said I knew it was him. He called for backup. Why is this important? It actually was supposed to play to the defense, but I actually think it helped the prosecution because you get into the mindset of the police officer. He had a reasonable reason to try to keep him calm. Maybe reading him his Miranda rights would have sort of thrown him. He might have tried to flee before enough backup was there. Also, the contents of the backpack. If this was Mangione, they knew he had just killed a man in cold blood that they'd seen on that video. That was their mindset I'm saying. So what if there was an explosive in the backpack or another weapon? So they probably wanted to search that. So I actually think today potentially played in the prosecution's favor. If some of this evidence is in fact thrown out, how would it help the defense and how would it hurt the prosecution? Well, this is key evidence. You have a notebook in which he was writing. His plan, the evolution of his thinking of why he would want to target a insurance company executive. You also have a ghost gun with a 3D printed silencer. That looks very much like the gun that we saw in that surveillance video. Exactly so that hurts the prosecution. But remember, there's other evidence. Mangione allegedly was at a Starbucks a block and a half away, threw away a coffee cup police that went right to the lab, and they have DNA evidence that they can also lean on. To me, this kind of was an effort to delay things and it did delay things. They held a hearing. This is now going to be a days long. Experience and we might not even hear from the judge by the end of the week if this is admissible. Right now, everything that was said today is frozen and it will be determined at a later date if a jury can actually see and hear that evidence. OK, Anna Schecter, appreciate you.

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