Luigi Mangione‘s lawyer Thomas Dickey on Tuesday said his client would plead not guilty — and ask for bail — in the gunshot-slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, declaring he and Mangione had formed “a strong bond.”
Speaking at his law office in Altoona, Penn. in a 17-minute press conference, Dickey reiterated the presumption of innocence is the “fundamental concept of American justice,” and that he had not seen any evidence his 26-year-old client was the shooter.
“The burden is always on the government, thank God,” said Dickey on a televised livestream of the press conference. “I have not seen one scintilla, one speck, one drop of any evidence yet.”
The lawyer said since all charges in Pennsylvania — aside from capital charges — allow bail, he’d be searching for simply that for Mangione.
“The judge could set a million dollar bail, it could be a $5 million bail, but damn it, you get bail,” he stated.
Dickey stated his shopper’s subsequent court docket look could be later in December, however that he might converse along with his shopper as early as Wednesday.
Pressed on what offense Mangione could be declaring his innocence, Dickey asserted: “Every charge, every charge.”
“The only charges that we’ve seen thus far have been here in Pennsylvania and we have pled not guilty to those charges,” stated Dickey. “I’m not aware of any actual charges in New York.”
The lawyer stated earlier Tuesday he had complained in court docket that he’d been given little or no data.
Dickey stated he would proceed to battle extradition to New York, including it might be a prolonged course of and that he and Mangione would strategy it methodically.
The lawyer deflected questions on Mangione’s demeanor, character or way of thinking — and flat-out refused to say who had employed him, although he stated he’d be open to representing the accused gunman in court docket in New York.
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