Luigi Mangione's New Defense Attorney Makes Public Statement

Luigi Mangione's newly appointed defense attorney is speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon ... and we're streaming it live.

Attorney Tom Dickey said he's been retained to represent Mangione, and he answered questions from reporters at his Altoona, Pennsylvania office Tuesday afternoon. He stated he believes Mangione should have been granted bail ... and emphasized Mangione did not waive his extradition in an earlier court appearance today.

"I haven't seen any evidence" that Mangione is the shooter, Dickey said. "He's pled not guilty, that's all I care about."

Dickey said he came onto the case "sometime prior to the hearing today" -- it's unclear if he was court-appointed or hired. Asked if he could say who hired him, he said "No ... I can, but I won't."

As we know, Luigi Mangione is accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson early Wednesday morning last week in Midtown Manhattan.

After a 5-day manhunt for an unnamed suspect, Mangione was arrested in an Altoona, Pennsylvania McDonald's Monday ... when a customer recognized him from widely distributed suspect photos, and an employee called police.

Officers found Mangione eating at the restaurant ... with evidence allegedly connecting him to last week's murder on his person -- including the gun, a fake ID, and a handwritten manifesto, according to police.

Mangione is facing charges in Pennsylvania and in New York, where he's been charged with murder -- he appeared in court in an extradition hearing. He was briefly seen by reporters as he was escorted out of a police vehicle -- when he shouted toward cameras, before cops rushed him into the courthouse.