A legal battle is ongoing to extradite Luigi Mangione to New York. The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO now has a lawyer and is fighting the extradition.
A crowded courtroom in the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg became silent when police escorted Mangione to his seat. He wore an orange jumpsuit and had his wrists and ankles restrained.
He rocked back and forth and looked around the room until his lawyer, Thomas Dickey, came to speak with Mangione, and later, the judge.
Dickey is a lifetime Blair County resident who has practiced law privately since 1984. According to his website, he’s gotten acquittals for clients in cases ranging from DUIs to first-degree murder.
In Pennsylvania, Mangione is charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. In New York, he’s facing second degree murder and several other charges.
Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks is working with New York to get a governor’s warrant for his extradition. The court gave his office 30 days to do so, but Weeks said he expects to have the warrant sooner.
The court also denied bail, with Weeks saying Mangione is a flight hazard. Weeks said Mangione has ties across the country and carried a passport when he was caught.
Dickey made the argument to impose bail, saying Mangione has no prior criminal history and could wear an ankle monitor. Dickey also said the charges Mangione faces in Pennsylvania do not warrant life without parole. Weeks argued back, saying the state constitution allows courts to deny bail if they believe the suspect will flee.
Mangione is currently being held at SCI Huntingdon.