Luigi Mangione judge summons Pennsylvania cop to court to testify on backpack search
Federal judge reverses previous ruling, will hear testimony on Altoona police procedures during arrest
By Julia Bonavita , Maria Paronich Fox News
Published January 12, 2026 11:56am EST
In an about-face on Monday, a federal judge has decided to hold an evidentiary hearing to determine if Luigi Mangione’s backpack was lawfully seized and searched inside an Altoona, Pennsylvania, McDonald’s during his arrest.
Judge Margaret Garnett wrote in a court order that she considered "both the arguments made by counsel" during Friday’s hearing and "the seriousness of the charges the Defendant is facing" before walking back her previous decision, deeming the hearing unnecessary.
The hearing is expected to include testimony from an Altoona police officer regarding the department’s procedures "for securing, safeguarding [and] inventorying the personal property of a person arrested in a public place."
However, the judge clarified that the witness chosen by the prosecution was not required to be one of the officers involved in Mangione’s arrest, while adding the short hearing will likely take place within the next two weeks.
The move comes after several Altoona officers testified in state court regarding Mangione’s request to exclude evidence seized by police during his arrest, including a backpack carrying the alleged murder weapon.
His lawyers are also asking the judge to eliminate the same items from his federal case.
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https://www.foxnews.com/us/luigi-mangione-wins-evidentiary-hearing-backpack-search-after-judges-about-face-decision
