UnitedHealth CEO’s murder suspect Luigi Mangione vows to fight extradition to New York

The 26-year-old suspect Luigi Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson, intends to challenge his extradition to New York a day after he was arrested in Pennsylvania, his defense lawyer told a judge at a hearing on Tuesday.

Mangione, who was taken into custody after being arrested from a McDonald’s outlet post an intensive five-day man hunt by authorities, has been denied bail for the second time but the judge adjudicating his case said that he can contest the bail order within 14 days.

While going to attend a hearing on Tuesday afternoon at the Blair County Courthouse in Pennsylvania, Mangione shouted in the direction of reporters that “completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people!” Though it wasn’t clear from his statement as to what he was referring to.

Mangione, who is being represented by attorney Thomas Dickey, was wearing an orange jumpsuit when he arrived at the court premises in a police vehicle, accompanied by sheriff deputies.

The charges framed against Mangione include second-degree murder, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second-degree, criminal possession of a forged instrument and criminal possession of a weapon in the third-degree, according to an arrest warrant issued in New York City.

The motive of the murder remains unclear, though the police have said that UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson was targeted deliberately. Police are also investigating the movements of Mangione in Pennsylvania, before and after the killing of Thompson in order to ascertain if any accomplice helped him amid the shootout outside a midtown hotel.

Mangione’s family, in a statement after his arrest said, “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.”

Source: indianexpress.com