New York Judge Gregory Carro scheduled the hearing earlier this month, though the purpose of both the June 3 conference and Tuesday's hearing remain shrouded in secrecy.
Mangione is scheduled to go to trial on Sept. 8. Last month, Judge Carro dealt his attorneys a setback by largely denying their attempt to block prosecutors from using evidence first discovered by law enforcement when they arrested the alleged assassin in 2024. Carro ruled that much of the evidence in dispute - including the alleged murder weapon and writings that prosecutors say amount to a confession - was lawfully seized by the police officers who arrested Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonalds.
During that May 18 hearing when he announced his decision on what evidence would be allowed at trial, Judge Carro scheduled a follow-up hearing for June. He abruptly closed the hearing to the press earlier this month at the request of defense lawyers, as well as rejected a request from a coalition of news organizations to open the hearing or provide reasons why it was sealed. Attorneys for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and Mangione declined to comment about the secretive hearing.
Court hearings in New York are generally open to the public, though judges have the discretion to hold hearings in secret to safeguard sensitive information or to protect victims of certain heinous crimes.
Mangione is less than three months away from standing trial on murder charges associated with the 2024 assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He has pleaded not guilty, and a public campaign to raise money for his defense has raised more than $1.5 million.
Mangione also faces separate charges in federal court, and that case is scheduled to go to trial next year.