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Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Alleged murderer Luigi Mangione has hired a former New York City prosecutor while challenging extradition to face charges for the shooting death of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Former New York City prosecutor Karen Friedman Agnifilo will represent Mangione, the law firm Agnifilo Intrater confirmed to UPI by email Saturday morning. The decision was first announced Friday.
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Agnifilo is not yet commenting on the matter, the law firm told UPI.
Mangione is accused of second-degree murder and other charges in New York City but is challenging extradition to New York while jailed in Pennsylvania on other charges.
Agnifilo specializes in criminal defense and has argued cases in state and federal courts as a defense attorney and a prosecuting attorney over the past three decades.
She was the chief assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office from 2014 through 2021.
In that role, her law firm bio says she "supervised all complex and high-profile matters in the office and managed a team of 1,500 people with a $120 million budget, giving her the experience and judgment to manage complex, high-stakes cases."
"While serving in the Manhattan DA's office, Ms.Friedman Agnifilo was also integral to creating the office's Human Trafficking Unit, Hate Crimes Unit, Antiquities Trafficking Unit, Terrorism Unit, its Cybercrimes and Identity Theft Bureau, as well as working on the creation of Manhattan's first Mental Health Court," her bio reads.
Mangione is accused of ambushing Thompson at about 6:45 a.m. Dec. 4 while Thompson was walking on a sidewalk on his way to a United Healthcare meeting at nearby hotel in New York City.
The case has raised debate about the nature of health insurance in the United States and Mangione's alleged use of bullets inscribed with the words "deny," "delay" and "depose."
Mangione recently suffered a back injury and underwent spinal fusion surgery, but United Healthcare was not his health insurer and never was.
