Sources confirm that lawyers for Richard Mangione are preparing a psychiatric defence in his state murder trial, with an extradition to the UK now a distinct possibility. The defence team, led by barrister Eleanor Cross, is expected to argue that Mangione was suffering from a severe mental disorder at the time of the murder of London financier James Whitmore. The case has been shrouded in secrecy, but leaked documents reveal that Mangione's legal team has instructed two independent psychiatrists to assess his mental state.
One source close to the defence said, 'The evidence of a breakdown is compelling. We are talking about a man who believed he was acting on orders from a shadowy network.' The Crown Prosecution Service is monitoring developments, and extradition proceedings could follow if the psychiatric defence fails.
Meanwhile, Whitmore's family has expressed outrage, calling the defence a 'desperate attempt to avoid justice.' The trial is set to begin in March, but delays are expected as the psychiatric evidence is examined. This case has all the hallmarks of a scandal that will only deepen.
