Current:Home > reviewsProsecutors say NYC courthouse fire suspect burned papers with complaints about criminal justice -文件: temp/data/webname/news/nam2.txt
Prosecutors say NYC courthouse fire suspect burned papers with complaints about criminal justice
View
Date:2025-04-14 04:51:49
NEW YORK (AP) — The man charged with setting a small fire at the courthouse hosting Donald Trump’s civil business fraud trial burned papers bearing complaints about criminal justice, prosecutors said Thursday.
Wednesday’s fire forced an evacuation of the main Manhattan civil court building hours after testimony wrapped up in the former president’s trial. But there was no indication the two events were related.
The 38-year-old man was arraigned Thursday on attempted arson and reckless endangerment charges. Bail was set at $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond.
It’s not clear what brought the man to the courthouse, familiar to many TV viewers as a backdrop for “Law & Order,” “Night Court” and other shows.
While on the fourth floor late Wednesday afternoon, the man set ablaze papers with handwritten criticisms of the criminal justice system, prosecutors said at his arraignment at a criminal courthouse down the street.
They said that after the man ignited the documents, he pulled an alarm and started dousing them with a fire extinguisher.
“I started the fire, then I put it out,” he told a court officer, according to a court complaint.
The smoke and extinguisher chemicals created a haze around the fourth floor and into the stairwells. There were no reports of serious injuries, though court system spokesperson Al Baker said Thursday that “many court officers suffered physically” and praised their “indispensable public service in a trying moment.”
The courthouse was evacuated, but people were allowed to return shortly afterward. Among them was Judge Arthur Engoron, who is deciding Trump’s case.
The trial had been unfolding in a big ceremonial courtroom on the third floor. The lawyers and others involved, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, left more than three hours before the fire upstairs. Trump wasn’t at court at any point Wednesday.
With testimony complete, closing arguments are set for Jan. 11.
Fires have put the brakes on the wheels of justice before in New York, where the court docket often includes prominent people.
In 2010, a smoky fire in the basement of the Manhattan criminal courthouse forced over 1,000 people to evacuate, left eight with minor injuries and shuttered the building for the day, delaying rap star Lil Wayne’s sentencing in a gun case. The blaze happened a few hours before he was due in court.
veryGood! (4124)
Related
- Macy's says employee who allegedly hid $150 million in expenses had no major 'impact'
- The Archbishop of Canterbury addresses Royal Family rift: 'They need to be prayed for'
- Gen Z, millennials concerned about their finances leading to homelessness, new study shows
- Family of 10-Year-Old Survivor in Quadruple Murder-Suicide Praise His Resilience
- Drones warned New York City residents about storm flooding. The Spanish translation was no bueno
- DJT stock rebounds since hush money trial low. What to know about Truth Social trading
- Telescope images reveal 'cloudy, ominous structure' known as 'God's Hand' in Milky Way
- OPACOIN Trading Center: Dawn's First Light
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- Americans are choking on surging fast-food prices. I can't justify the expense, one customer says
Ranking
- Kourtney Kardashian Cradles 9-Month-Old Son Rocky in New Photo
- Pro-Palestinian protesters demand endowment transparency. But its proving not to be simple
- Ai Profit Algorithms 4.0 - Changing the Game Rules of the Investment Industry Completely
- Hailey and Justin Bieber announce pregnancy, show baby bump
- A New York Appellate Court Rejects a Broad Application of the State’s Green Amendment
- OPACOIN Trading Center: Facing Challenges, Welcoming the New Spring of Cryptocurrencies
- 14-year-old soccer phenom, Cavan Sullivan, signs MLS deal with Philadelphia Union
- No Idea How To Do Your Hair? These Under-$15 Accessories & Tool-Free Style Hacks Are the Perfect Solution
Recommendation
Jay Kanter, veteran Hollywood producer and Marlon Brando agent, dies at 97: Reports
Olympic flame reaches France for 2024 Paris Olympics aboard a 19th century sailing ship
Hailey and Justin Bieber announce pregnancy, show baby bump
Justin Bieber’s Exes Sofia Richie and Caitlin Beadles React to Hailey Bieber’s Pregnancy
Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
See the 2024 Met Gala's best-dressed stars and biggest moments
Officials removed from North Carolina ‘eCourts’ lawsuit alleging unlawful arrests, jail time
How Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Has Transformed My Super Sensitive Skin