Bond reduced for man charged in ‘Vote Trump’ church burning
GREENVILLE, Miss. — An African-American man charged in burning of a black church that was also spray-painted with “Vote Trump” has been falsely accused, his attorney said Thursday.
Andrew McClinton, 45, is charged with first-degree arson of a place of worship. Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church, where he was a member, was burned and vandalized Nov. 1, a week before the presidential election.
Police have not publicly said what led them to charge McClinton.
He has been jailed since Dec. 21 and chose not to appear for a preliminary hearing Thursday before Greenville Municipal Judge Michael Prewitt. The judge sent the case to a grand jury and reduced McClinton’s bond from $250,000 to $100,000.