HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. – Luigi Mangione, charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in early Decembercould be back in New York sooner rather than later.
A lawyer for Mangione told CBS News New York on Wednesday that he would waive extradition at his hearing in Pennsylvania on Thursday morning.
According to law enforcement sources, New York Police Department detectives will be on hand at the 8:30 a.m. court hearing to ensure Mangione is then transported directly to the central booking center at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, where he will be photographed ahead of an arraignment hearing that is likely to be held either on late Thursday or early Friday.
“If he waives extradition, it should happen pretty quickly,” said Anna Cominsky, a professor at New York Law School. “The idea is that we want to get him here to answer the charges that are pending here in New York and within a day or two at most.”
Cominsky was asked Thursday what benefit it would be if Mangione forewent extradition.
“The advantage is that he can start his case in New York. We already know that Pennsylvania has said they won't move forward with their case until the case is completed in New York, and that means he can actually do it once he gets here.” “Be indicted and the case regarding his prosecution in New York can begin,” she said.
If Mangione challenges his extradition for any reason, a spokesman said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul would quickly sign a special order that could return him to New York City within days or weeks.
“I am ready to bring him back here and ensure justice is served for someone who had the audacity to gun down every New Yorker. I don't care what his title is. This brazen step on our streets must result in serious consequences,” Hochul said.
CBS News New York has learned new details about Mangione's communications at the Pennsylvania prison where he is being held. The 26-year-old suspect has since received 40 emails and 53 pieces of mail his arrest last week at a McDonald's in Altoonaand had 158 deposits into his commissary account. He also had three visitors. Not from the family, but from his three lawyers, including Manhattan prosecutor and later defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo.
Luigi Mangione charged with murder and terrorism
Mangione was charged Tuesday with 11 countsincluding first degree murder in furtherance of terrorism, in which brazen assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month.
“This was a murder intended to inspire terror, and we have seen that response,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Tuesday.
“This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder designed to cause shock, attention and intimidation,” Bragg continued. “It occurred in one of the busiest parts of our city and threatened the safety of residents and tourists alike, commuters and business people just starting their day.”
The prosecution also confirmed this The words “deny” and “depose” were written on bullet casings. found at the crime scene, and One of the balls read “Delay.”an obvious reference to the “three Ds of insurance,” a phase used by critics of the industry.
“We really need to know more about why the prosecutor believes he has evidence to support this terrorism charge. Why do they believe that it was not just an intention to kill a person, but also terrorism? to instill fear in others, which is what it takes to back that up,” Cominsky said.
“We don’t celebrate murders”
The NYPD reported an outpouring of online support for Mangione from the public expresses his anger towards the healthcare industrytogether with serious online threats since Thompson's murder.
“There is no heroism in what Mangione did. This was a senseless act of violence, it was a cold and calculated crime that took a life and put New Yorkers in danger.” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
“We do not celebrate murders or glorify the killing of anyone, and any attempt to rationalize this is abhorrent, reckless and insults to our deeply held principles of justice,” Tisch added.
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