Luigi Mangione, the suspect accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is taking a defiant stand.
His defense attorney, Tom Dickey, has confirmed that Mangione intends to plead not guilty to the charges against him, including murder, and will resist extradition to New York.
Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family, was apprehended at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona after an employee recognized him from images released by the New York Police Department.
At the time of his arrest, Mangione was found carrying a 3D-printed pistol, a silencer, multiple fake IDs, and a handwritten manifesto expressing grievances against the healthcare industry.
Mangione was charged with forgery, carrying a firearm without a license, tampering with records or identification, possessing instruments of a crime, and providing false identification to law enforcement in Pennsylvania. He was arraigned at the Blair County Courthouse and denied bail.
While standing before a judge at the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, the judge read the entire criminal complaint against Mangione after he noted that no one had read the complaint to him since he was arrested.
While arguing why Mangione should be denied bail, prosecutors stated that police found $8,000 in US cash and $2,000 in foreign currency.
Prosecutors also claimed Mangione had his passport and a “Faraday bag,” which is used to stop cell service transmission, in his possession.
Mangione challenged two key assertions made by prosecutors during the court proceedings. The first was their claim about the cash found on him.
“I actually want to address two of the things that you said. I don’t know where that money came from. I’m not sure if it was planted,” Mangione claimed.
The second was their assertion that his possession of a Faraday bag, which blocks cell signals. Mangione countered this by explaining that he used the bag because it was waterproof and claimed he was unaware of any implications regarding criminal expertise.
Later that day, Mangione faced charges in New York City, including one count of second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm.
On Tuesday, Mangione appeared in court in Pennsylvania, where he was again denied bail by Judge Peter Weeks, due to concerns about his potential flight risk and the severity of the charges. He announced his intention to fight extradition to New York.
Mangione was forcibly escorted into the Blair County Courthouse in Pennsylvania for an extradition hearing.
As officers led him inside, Mangione shouted to the assembled press, denouncing the proceedings as “an insult to the intelligence of the American people.”
“It’s completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people. It’s lived experience,” Mangione screamed while escorted to the building.
Mangione’s defense attorney, Tom Dickey, pushed back, claiming, “Bail is a constitutional right, even for serious crimes.” Dickey argued the judge could have set a high bail rate rather than denied it outright.
“To simply say no bail, with all due respect to the judge, I believe bail should have been set,” Dickey told reporters on Tuesday, per CNN. “The judge could set $1 million bail. It could be $5 million bail, but damn it, you get bail. That’s what you do,” he said.
“We’re going to fight this [extradition] along the rules and with the constitutional protections that my client has,” Dickey said.
According to CNN, “Since Mangione is fighting extradition, a Pennsylvania court has given him 14 days to file for writ of habeas corpus, and a hearing will be scheduled if he does. Mangione will stay at Huntingdon State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania. Prosecutors have 30 days to obtain a governor’s warrant, which New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she will work with prosecutors to sign. Weeks said his office is prepared “to do what’s necessary” to get Mangione back to New York.”
Dickey also told reporters that Mangione intends to plead not guilty to the charges in Pennsylvania. He also expects Mangione to enter a not guilty plea to the second-degree murder charge in New York.
“If you’re in the courtroom today, you heard me say that we haven’t gotten any evidence [of him being the shooter]. I haven’t seen really anything yet. So we have to take a look at stuff, and we’re going to fight tooth and nail,” said Dickey.
“We’ve pled not guilty, at least to the charges in Pennsylvania. Like I said I’m not aware of any actual charges in New York,” Dickey said. “I’m telling you as his lawyer, he didn’t have any … representation until I got involved this afternoon. And I’m telling you he’s pleading not guilty.”
Dickey added, “From what I’ve seen, up to this point, he hasn’t been charged with that,” Dickey said. “I don’t really want to speculate, but if in fact that would happen, I would anticipate a plea of not guilty.”
WATCH:
Thomas Dickey, an experienced Pennsylvania lawyer, represents Luigi Mangione in the UnitedHealthcare CEO murder case. He’s fighting extradition to New York and plans to file a writ of habeas corpus. Dickey urges presumption of innocence and claims no evidence has been presented… pic.twitter.com/enZf1bg041
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Dickey mentioned that it’s “a possibility” he might represent Mangione in New York but declined to comment on who hired him, according to CNN.
In a press conference, Dickey doubled down and said he “hasn’t seen any evidence that says that he’s the shooter.”
WATCH:
#BREAKING NOW
Luigi Mangione lawyer tells press that client is pleading not guiltyToday defense lawyer Thomas Dickey told the press that his client, Luigi Mangione, is not guilty for any criminal charges in last week’s killing of United Healthcare’s CEO. (AP video shot by… pic.twitter.com/EF0Au1UUjo
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