Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on Dec 9. After deciding last week not to fight extradition, he was transferred to New York, where he was led off a helicopter in lower Manhattan by a large phalanx of police officers and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
That spectacle and other statements by public officials suggest Mangione may not be able to get a fair trial, his lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo said at Monday’s hearing.
“They are treating him like he is some sort of political fodder, some sort of spectacle,” Agnifilo said. “He is not a symbol, he is someone who is afforded a right to a fair trial.”
Several dozen people gathered outside the courthouse in freezing temperatures to express support for Mangione and anger at healthcare companies.
One person held a sign with the words “DENY, DEFEND, DEPOSE” a phrase that echoes tactics some accuse insurers of using to avoid paying out claims. Authorities say the words “deny,” “delay,” and “depose” were found written on shell casings at the crime scene.
Kara Hay, a 42-year-old schoolteacher, said she believed it was wrong for Mangione to be charged with terrorism.
“Shooting one CEO does not make him a terrorist, and I do not feel terrorised,” said Hay, who held a sign reading “innocent until proven guilty.”
After the 30-minute hearing, officers once again shackled Mangione and led him out of the courtroom. He is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center, a federal lockup in Brooklyn.
Carro set Mangione’s next court appearance for Feb 21.
