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Officers Defend Warrantless Backpack Search on Day 7 of Mangione Hearing

The ruling will determine the admissibility of items seized after Mangione’s Altoona arrest.

Overview

  • Two Altoona police supervisors testified the backpack search fell under a search‑incident‑to‑arrest exception and did not require a warrant.
  • Jurors heard a 911 call from an Altoona McDonald’s manager and saw bodycam video showing officers confronting Mangione, who presented a fake ID.
  • Testimony described officers finding a loaded magazine at the scene and, later at the station, a pistol, silencer, a notebook prosecutors call a manifesto, and a “to‑do” list.
  • The defense is seeking to suppress the backpack contents and pre‑Miranda statements and raised concerns about the full security video’s release; the judge said juror vetting addresses that.
  • Judge Gregory Carro is expected to issue a written decision in January; no state trial date is set, and Mangione has pleaded not guilty while also facing a separate federal case that could carry the death penalty.