Man charged with slashing fire hose during Baltimore riot arraigned
By Donna Owens
BALTIMORE (Reuters) - A Baltimore man allegedly filmed slashing a fire hose at a burning pharmacy during April rioting over the death of Freddie Gray was arraigned on Tuesday.
A jury trial for Greg Butler Jr., 22, who is also known as Greg Bailey, has been scheduled for Aug. 14 in Baltimore City Circuit Court, court documents show.
Butler was allegedly caught on video puncturing a hose as firefighters battled a blaze on April 27 at a CVS Health Corp pharmacy.
The store was torched during unrest after the funeral of Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died from an injury suffered in police custody. His death heightened a U.S. debate on police treatment of minorities.
Butler is charged with obstructing a firefighter, malicious destruction of property and reckless endangerment. He is also charged in a separate case with trying to flee the scene after being arrested.
A lawyer for Butler did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A man was arrested and charged last week with setting the CVS fire.
Nearly 400 businesses were damaged or destroyed in the hours following Gray's funeral, authorities have said.
Six police officers have been charged in Gray's death.
(Editing by Ian Simpson and Mohammad Zargham)
