NEWS
BreakingNews šØ Mangione’s lawyer, Thomas Dickey, says there is no evidence linking his client to the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, per ABC.
Thomas Dickey, Luigi Mangioneās lawyer, tells NewsNation that āI havenāt seen any evidenceā backing up accusations his client shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York last week.
āI donāt want people to jump to these prejudgment things because nobody would ever want that if they were accused, or one of their loved ones were accused,ā Dickey said exclusively on āCUOMOā Tuesday
The attorney pointed out that the ghost gun found on Mangione when he was arrested at an Altoona, Pennsylvania, McDonaldās Monday has not definitively been matched to the one used in Thompsonās death.
āI havenāt been certainly made aware of that. I havenāt seen any holistic report,ā he said. āSo, if youāve seen that already, then thatās interesting because I certainly havenāt seen that.ā
Investigators said Mangione matched the description of the ID they were searching for and was found in possession of several items they believe would connect him to the shooting.
Those allegedly include a mask, firearm, suppressor, fake New Jersey ID that investigators believe was used to check into a hostel in New York and a handwritten document speaking to his motivation.
Dickey emphasized that heād only started representing his client for about ā12 hoursā before the TV interview and apologized that his lack of knowledge of the rumors circulating about Mangione may ādisappointā many.
āI got to look at evidence and, you know, not going to go by conjecture and opinions and speculation, what people think,ā he explained.
Dickey also pointed to Pennsylvania law that classifies most crimes ā except for capital punishment cases or when punishment includes life without parole ā as bailable offenses.
In Pennsylvania, Mangione was charged Monday with forgery, carrying firearms without a license, having āinstruments of a crime,ā tampering with records or information and false identification to law enforcement.
Later that day, Manhattan prosecutors filed a second-degree murder charge, among others, against Mangione, according to an online court docket obtained
On Tuesday, a judge denied Mangione bail. The state of Pennsylvania is pursuing a governorās warrant to transfer him to New York and has 30 days to do so.
Dickey said that in Pennsylvania, a second-degree murder charge doesnāt warrant life without parole.
ā[Because of] those two exclusions, heās entitled to bail,ā Dickey said. āWhether itās $10 billion or $10,000 or whatever, the judge had that discretion, but he should have set bail.ā
Dickey recalled his first meeting with Mangione, telling NewsNationās Chris Cuomo he intended to ādevelop a relationship, a bond,ā with his client rather than assess him or his mental state.
āHe seemed to understand my questions. He seemed to be able to interact with me, and so I was pleased with that,ā he said.
When asked about Mangioneās mood, Dickey said to use your ācommon senseā about how one accused of such a crime would feel.
Dickey also addressed the public Tuesday afternoon in a press conference from his law firm in Altoona, Pennsylvania, roughly 35 miles from the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon, where Mangione is currently being held without bail as he attempts to fight extradition to New York.
Dickey, who took on the case Tuesday, refused to clarify who hired him during that press conference.
Mangione will remain in the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon until a governorās warrant is secured.
Blair County, Pennsylvania, District Attorney Peter Weeks said both Pennsylvania and New Yorkās governors feel confident they can obtain a governorās warrant before the deadline.