Man charged with setting Copley Square ballot box on fire faces similar charge in Malden, DA says

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said Worldy Armand had no political motive in setting a Copley Square ballot drop box on fire, but her office will seek to have him detained behind bars as a danger to society at a hearing on Friday.

In a statement this morning, Rollins said:

Although this individual appears to be emotionally disturbed without a deliberate or specific intent to intimidate or interfere with the voting process, the ability to vote without interference is central to our democracy. No matter the intent of Armand when he set fire to these ballots, his actions strike a nerve in our society at a time of nearly unprecedented political divisiveness. The destruction of ballots is simply unacceptable

Armand was arrested Sunday night in Copley Square, several hours after the drop box outside the entrance to the Copley Square library on Boylston Street was set on fire. He was wearing "the same distinctive clothing" as seen on the arsonist in surveillance video, the DA's office reports.

The DA's office reports Armand was already wanted on two warrants, including one for willful and malicious burning for a similar incident in Malden, and for receiving stolen property out of Ipswich.

At a hearing on Friday, Boston Municipal Court Judge Mark Summerville will determine whether Armand can be held without bail for 60 days. The DA's office reports that Summerville declined to send Armand to Bridgewater for an evaluation yesterday after Armand refused to speak to a court clinician before his arraignment. Summerville ordered Armand held without bail until at least the dangerousness hearing on Friday.

Innocent, etc.