HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Blair County judge is asking a U.S. Attorney in New York to release Luigi Mangione to U.S. Marshals for a Blair County hearing on forgery and weapon charges.

It comes as the U.S. Department of Justice has indicated that it will not release Mangione from the New York lock-up for a pre-trial hearing.

Mangione is being housed in New York awaiting trial for the alleged Manhattan murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December.

Mangione was arrested in Altoona, following a multi-day manhunt for Thompson’s killer that ended at an Altoona McDonald’s restaurant.

Prosecutors have alleged the Maryland man gave police a fraudulent ID, had a weapon used in the shooting and a notebook describing his motives.

Mangione faces forgery, false identification, records tampering and firearms charges in Blair County — all of which his Altoona defense attorney, Thomas Dickey, has argued should be dismissed.

Dickey’s pre-trial motions filed in April contend Mangione was unlawfully detained, interrogated and searched by police.

He contends Altoona police followed “a hunch” rather than proper legal procedures to obtain a search warrant that day — something Blair County prosecutors dispute.

Law enforcement officials have said Mangione was initially cooperative with authorities.

Blair County Judge Jackie Bernard has scheduled a hearing on Nov. 7 to hear argument over the defense motions.

Bernard wrote that federal officials have, at this point, declined to allow Mangione to be transported to Pennsylvania, but would instead allow him to appear on camera by live, two-way communications.

Mangione indicated this summer that he won’t waive his right to appear in person.

“Therefore, the (Blair County) District Attorney and this Court are compelled at this point to request the production of the defendant through the issuance of a writ,” Bernard wrote.

Bernard’s request was directed to be served to Southern District of New York U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.

Clayton, a Trump administration appointee, prosecutes federal cases across a territory that includes Manhattan, the Bronx and the nearby Westchester and Dutchess County regions.

Bernard also filed a separate order outlining that Mangione would be handed back over to U.S. Marshals after the hearing’s conclusion to return to New York.

Dickey did not object to Bernard’s written orders, documents show.

If federal officials refuse to comply with the order involving Mangione’s appearance in court, Bernard said defense attorneys will have 14 days to object or consent to a remote appearance via his New York prison.

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