A judge in St. Louis County set bail at $20,000 Monday for a Duluth man accused starting the fire that destroyed a historic synagogue one week ago.
In his first court appearance, the attorney for 36-year-old Matthew Amiot said that he denies the charge of starting a negligent fire and that he was “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
According to the criminal complaint, Amiot, described as a drifter, told police he started the fire in an adjacent structure. He tried to spit on it to extinguish it and when it didn’t work, he walked away.
Several scrolls from the Torah were destroyed in the blaze at the Adas Israel synagogue, which had been standing since 1902. No one was injured.
Police in Duluth said Sunday that the preliminary investigation showed “no sign” of a hate crime and no accelerants were found. Police did not reveal a motive, but said the investigation is ongoing.
Amiot's next court appearance is Oct. 8.
