No Bail For 'Emotionally Disturbed' Man After Ballot Box Burning

BOSTON — The man charged with setting a Copley Square ballot box on fire was held without bail Monday in Boston Municipal Court, pending a dangerousness hearing Friday.

Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said Worldly Armand appeared to be "emotionally disturbed" and did not deliberately intend to ruin the democratic process, but said "the destruction of ballots is simply unacceptable."

A judge denied the state's request for a mental health evaluation after Armand refused to speak with a clinician for a competency evaluation.

The 39-year-old homeless man had his bail revoked in another open case out of Malden District Court, where he is charged with a similar arson crime, Rollins' office 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," Rollins said. "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."

Prosecutors said Armand set fire to a ballot box outside the Boston Public Library main branch early Sunday. Of the 122 ballots in the box, 35 were deemed illegible. City election officials are asking people who may have used the box between 2:30 p.m. Saturday and 4 a.m. Sunday to contact the Elections Department.

The fire prompted Secretary of State William Galvin to direct local election officials to up security at their ballot boxes.