Suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing could return to New York on a governor's warrant

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The suspect in the killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO plans to fight extradition to New York to face murder charges, but officials hope to get him back with what’s called a governor’s warrant.

The process could happen quickly or take more than a month. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's office on Wednesday had not yet asked Pennsylvania for the warrant after murder charges were filed against Luigi Mangione late Monday in New York.

In the meanwhile, Mangione is being held without bail in western Pennsylvania in the killing of Brian Thompson. He was captured Monday morning while eating breakfast at a McDonald's in Altoona. Authorities said he was carrying a gun, mask and writings linking him to the slaying.

Here's what you need to know about the extradition process:

It's a warrant signed by the governor of a state where a fugitive flees after a crime. The governor in that state acts upon an official request from the governor of the state where the crime occurred. In this case, Hochul is expected to seek a governor's warrant from Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

New York must show that the suspect has been named in an indictment, an information or, as in Mangione's case, an arrest warrant based on a police affidavit. Shapiro has spoken with Hochul and “is prepared to sign and process it promptly as soon as it is received,” a spokesperson said Wednesday.

Gov. Hochul's office had not sent the request as of Wednesday. She could decide to wait for Mangione to be indicted. That could happen fairly quickly if prosecutors present their evidence to a grand jury. Under Pennsylvania law, he can be held for 30 days while authorities seek a governor's warrant.

Mangione must be brought before a Pennsylvania judge to confirm that he is the person being sought in New York. That link could be made by matching his fingerprints or DNA to any found at the scene or otherwise confirming that he is the person named in the warrant.

No, he plans to fight the extradition, according to an Altoona lawyer representing him in the early court hearings, including one Tuesday, when Mangione was denied bail. Still, it’s not easy to avoid being extradited to another state. Prosecutors mostly just need to show that they have the right person in custody on the charges from the other state.

In some cases, suspects can be extradited in a matter of days. But the process can drag on for several months if the defense challenges it. As of Wednesday, authorities in New York did not appear to be rushing. To fight extradition, Mangione must file a petition in Pennsylvania by Dec. 24.

Associated Press writers Michael R. Sisak in New York City, Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, and Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, contributed to this report.

FILE - New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks at a press conference on Nov. 26, 2024, in the Queens borough of New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)

Suspect Luigi Mangione is taken into the Blair County Courthouse on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa. (Janet Klingbeil via AP)

Gov. Josh Shapiro, center, speaks during a press conference regarding the arrest of suspect Luigi Mangione, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa., in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will undergo another surgery, doctors at the Sirio-Libanes hospital where the leftist leader is being treated said Wednesday.

The minimally invasive procedure that doctors will perform on Lula is called middle meningeal artery embolization and aims to stop persistent bleeding on the surface of the brain, according to the University of California San Francisco’s definition.

On Tuesday, the 79-year-old leader underwent surgery for a brain bleed after suffering complications resulting from a fall at home in October. Doctors told journalists after the operation that Lula would remain in intensive care for 48 hours.

But doctors on Wednesday said he would undergo another surgery on Thursday.

Lula “spent the day well,” doctors said in their updated statement.

“He underwent physiotherapy, walked and received visits from family members,” they added.

Lula remains in intensive care. In an earlier statement on Wednesday, doctors said the Brazilian president was lucid and had his bearings, and that he remained hooked up to a surgical drain as he awaits further routine tests.

After the first surgery, doctors had said that there would be no aftereffects and that Lula was expected to return to the capital, Brasilia, at the beginning of next week. Until then, they said, he would be unable to work.

Doctors will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. local time on Thursday to provide further updates, they said.

Lula canceled a trip to Russia for a BRICS summit after the accident, his office said at the time. It left him with a visible cut on the back of his head, slightly above his neck.

Fagnislainny Fernandes, a 40-year-old visual artist, said she went to the hospital “out of compassion” for Lula.

"This country, unfortunately, has a lot of misinformation and so I came personally to find out if this situation is really happening,” she said.

AP videojournalists Thiago Mostazo and Maycron Abade contributed to this report.

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

A supporter of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva dressed as Santa Claus signals the letter "L" for Lula, with a photo that reads in Portuguese "Health President!," during a gathering of support for the leader in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, while Lula is hospitalized in Sao Paulo. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)