The suspect in the shooting of UnitedHealth Group executive Brian Thompson is fighting a transfer between the US states of Pennsylvania and New York, where he faces a charge of second-degree murder.
During a hearing this Tuesday (10) in Pennsylvania, Luigi Mangione’s lawyer stated that he will contest any request to transfer him to New York. Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a five-day manhunt that followed the Manhattan attack on Thompson on December 4.
Upon entering the courtroom, Luigi Mangione shouted at journalists. As he was escorted into the hearing, he shouted words that included: “…an insult to the intelligence of the American people,” according to the BBC.
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“My client is not waiving the transfer here today,” said Thomas Dickey, an attorney representing Mangione. The 26-year-old is accused of shooting 50-year-old Thompson outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan as he walked to UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference.
Pennsylvania authorities charged Mangione with carrying a gun without a license and presenting false identification. Meanwhile, New York authorities also charged him with murder and weapons-related crimes and issued a warrant for his arrest.
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In New York, a second-degree murder conviction can result in a sentence ranging from 15 to 25 years to life in prison. The charge is a Class A felony, the most serious type under New York state law, defined as an intentional homicide that demonstrates “depraved indifference to human life.”
Suspect identified
Thompson died from a gunshot wound to the torso, according to the warrant released Tuesday by New York authorities. In the document, authorities alleged that Mangione was the person seen on surveillance video “shooting and killing” Thompson. They also identified him as the individual seen in photos in New York at the time of the shooting.
Mangione also had “written admissions of the crime” in his possession at the time of his arrest Monday, according to the arrest warrant.
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On Monday, Mangione was not represented by an attorney during the first preliminary hearing and was advised on the process to secure a public defender. He was informed of the state’s charges and did not enter a statement, said Stacey Witalec, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania court system.
He is being held in the Blair County Jail without bail pending a Dec. 23 court hearing before Judge Benjamin F. Jones unless extradited first.
Mangione could speed up the extradition process if he agrees to be sent to New York. If you decide to contest the extradition, it could take weeks.
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“Depending on whether or not Mr. Mangione waives extradition and agrees to be taken to New York, he could be in New York state court by the end of this week,” said Marvyn Kornberg, an experienced criminal lawyer.
At the Dec. 23 hearing, prosecutors must present sufficient evidence that a crime was committed and that Mangione committed the offense. This process may move more quickly depending on the extradition situation.
If he renounces the lawsuit, Mangione will be taken into custody by the NYPD and transported to New York. He will be brought before a state judge, where he must plead guilty or innocent.
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Grand Jury
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office will then present evidence in secret to a group of approximately 16 to 23 people, known as a grand jury. The panel will hear testimony from witnesses, view evidence presented by prosecutors and vote in secret on whether to charge Mangione in a formal indictment.
The judge will also decide whether to grant bail, although it is unlikely that Mangione, who was arrested after a five-day manhunt by authorities, will be released.
The judge’s decision on bail depends on factors such as the severity of the crime, the suspect’s criminal history, his ties to the community and whether he is considered a danger to the community or a flight risk.
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If bail is denied, it is likely that Mangione will be held in New York’s notorious Rikers Island prison.
(Com Bloomberg)
