HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County judge issued three orders last week requesting the U.S. Marshal’s service release Luigi Mangione into the custody of Blair County law enforcement for pre-trial litigation in November.

In Blair County, Mangione, 27, is facing felony counts of forgery and firearms not to be carried without a license, as well as misdemeanor counts of tampering with records, possession of an instrument of crime with intent and false identification to a law enforcement officer. He was taken into custody on those charges by Altoona police in December 2024 following the high-profile killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, of which Mangione is the main suspect.

Mangione was apprehended while having breakfast at the Plank Road McDonald’s after allegedly fleeing New York City and traveling by bus from Pittsburgh to Altoona. During his arrest, authorities seized 27 items in Mangione’s possession, including a firearm believed to be used in Thompson’s shooting, ammunition and a red notebook that police referred to as a manifesto.

Court documents state that Mangione, through defense attorney Thomas Dickey, filed an omnibus pre-trial motion, which is a complete filing bundling pre-trial requests for relief and issues that the court must address before going to trial.

These motions can include requesting the suppression of evidence, asking for a change of venue or the appointment of an investigator, among others.

In a hearing Sept. 8, Blair County Judge Jackie Atherton Bernard issued contemporaneous orders for the omnibus pre-trial motion hearing to be held on Nov. 7 at the Blair County Courthouse and for Mangione’s in-person appearance. Court documents state that Mangione would be “returned promptly” to the U.S. Marshal’s custody upon the hearing’s conclusion.

The order also stated that if the U.S. Marshal’s Service refused to release Mangione or make him available for transport, Dickey would have 14 days to object or consent to Mangione’s remote participation in the hearing.

In the court’s order for Mangione’s in-person appearance, filed by Blair County District Attorney Pete Weeks and First District Attorney Nichole Smith, it was noted that federal authorities confirmed through written notification to the DA’s office that “they will not release or transport (Mangione) for Blair County, Pennsylvania proceedings, but rather will make him available by two-way simultaneous audio-visual communication for the proceedings in Blair County.”

Through Dickey, Mangione told the court that he “does not wish to waive his right to be physically present in the courtroom to litigate his instant pre-trial motions,” court documents state.

Weeks and Bernard therefore were “compelled” to “request the production” of Mangione through the issuance of the court order for his in-person appearance.

Weeks, who spoke with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said he expects Bernard’s request to be denied due to potential safety risks for both Mangione and law enforcement officers.

Dickey said that while he prefers sitting next to his clients during court hearings, if “the best interest for Mr. Mangione is to move forward with these hearings without having them here, then that’s what we’ll do.”

“But we want them here, because it is a constitutional right to be here and we just don’t give up constitutional rights at a whim,” Dickey said.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.