The Pennsylvania defense attorney representing Towson native Luigi Mangione, who is accused of fatally shooting the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, says the Altoona Police violated his rights and illegally detained him.

Police say Mangione, 26, was taken into custody on the morning of Dec. 9 at an Altoona area McDonald’s after a witness reported seeing a customer who allegedly matched the description of the New York shooting suspect.

In the 23-page court motion to suppress the evidence filing, Thomas Dickey, who is representing Mangione in a Pennslyvania case, alleges that Altoona police “cornered” Mangione inside the restaurant and would not allow him to leave under his own merit.

According to the documents, Dickey says that police never told Mangione that he was “free to go” and that the officers reportedly provided “no explanation” for the encounter other than stating that he had “looked suspicious.”

Dickey further alleges that officers continued to illegally question Mangione inside the restaurant, at which time they reportedly conducted an illegal “pat down.”

According to the court filing, Mangione’s defense also claims that while conducting a background check with the identification that he allegedly provided to the officers, several more officers arrived at the restaurant, “further preventing Mangione from being able to leave on his own.”

At this time, Dickey alleges that police then illegally seized Mangione’s backpack and other personal belongings.

Police say that the search led to the discovery of multiple fake IDs and a loaded 3D-printed weapon, which allegedly matched the gun used in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Dickey also claims that it took officers over 15 minutes to officially tell Mangione that he was under police investigation. The motion also alleges that police didn’t read Mangione his Miranda rights until after those 15 minutes and once he provided his name.

Dickey claims that Mangione was then asked if he wished to speak with police, at which time he reportedly “shook his head no.”

However, Dickey alleges that police still continued to question Mangione before eventually placing him in handcuffs and transporting him to the Altoona Police Department.

According to the motion, Mangione’s defense also claims that Altoona officers “repacked” his backpack before he was taken out of the restaurant and that police “mishandled” the alleged evidence in the case.

Dickey is thus challenging the legality of Mangione’s arrest and claims that prosecutors should not be allowed to use any statements made by him during the encounter nor should any items seized be used as evidence.

In the Pennsylvania case, Mangione is facing charges of forgery, illegal firearms possession and false identification to law enforcement.

Nearly two weeks after his initial arrest, Mangione waived his preliminary hearing in the case and was extradited to New York, where he faces both state and federal charges.

Both of Mangione’s defense teams allege that those charges are contingent on the evidence and his arrest in Altoona. Last week, his Manhattan attorney made similar claims that Altoona police had violated his rights.

A spokesperson for the Altoona Police Department says that they “have no comment on the statements.”

According to Dickey, the judge has given him a deadline of Friday to formally file the motion to suppress the evidence and make any necessary changes to the documents.

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