In a dramatic courtroom moment on Monday, Luigi Mangione celebrated as footage from a body camera was presented, purportedly showing law enforcement officers discovering a loaded magazine hidden within damp underwear inside his backpack.
The hearing, held at the Manhattan Criminal Court, marked the fifth day of proceedings to decide whether certain pieces of evidence should be barred from trial. Mangione is facing accusations of having murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024.
The courtroom was shown body camera footage from Altoona, Pennsylvania, Police Officer Christy Wasser, who was involved in the arrest of Mangione. The video allegedly captures Wasser uncovering a magazine filled with bullets, concealed in wet underwear, during her search of Mangione’s belongings.
In the video, Officer Wasser is heard stating, “There was another magazine hidden in his underwear,” as she revealed the ammunition. A voice in the background comments, “it’s f—— him,” as the discovery is made.
This high-stakes courtroom drama unfolded in the presence of Luigi Mangione, who appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court during the ongoing murder case concerning the death of the UnitedHealthcare executive. The hearing took place in New York on December 8, 2025. The courtroom scene was documented by Sarah Yenesel, as part of a pool arrangement with Reuters.
Luigi Mangione appears in Manhattan Supreme Court during a hearing in the murder case of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York, Dec. 8, 2025. (Sarah Yenesel/pool via Reuters)
Luigi Mangione, the Ivy League graduate charged with executing the head of America’s largest health care company on a Midtown sidewalk, is back in Manhattan court for an evidence hearing that could make or break his state case. (Steven Hirsch for New York Post via Pool)
Luigi Mangione allegedly killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (UnitedHealth Group via AP)
Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 9, 2024. An employee at the fast-food restaurant reportedly recognized Mangione and told a co-worker, who then alerted the police. He faces numerous state and federal charges in relation to the alleged murder.
