Contractor in deadly building collapse denied bail

Griffin Campbell, the demolition contractor in June's fatal Center City building collapse, was ordered held without bail Tuesday night on six counts of third-degree murder.

Campbell, 49, appeared twice via closed-circuit television before Arraignment Magistrate Patrick Stack. A technical issue caused a delay of more than an hour and 15 minutes.

After he was ordered held without bail, Campbell asked Stack: "Was anybody in the city charged?"

Stack replied that no city officials had been charged, and Campbell was escorted away from the camera, muttering.

Before the delay, Campbell appeared in a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, briefly held his head in his hands, and exhaled loudly. When he returned to the closed-circuit TV room, he was wearing a white long-sleeved pullover shirt and had his arms crossed as Stack read the charges against him.

District Attorney Seth Williams announced the murder charges Monday and alleged that Campbell was "motivated by greed," leading to the unsafe demolition June 5 of the four-story building at 2136 Market St. and the collapse of an unsupported wall onto the adjacent Salvation Army thrift store. Six people were killed and 14 injured.

Campbell, who surrendered to police Monday afternoon, also was charged with six counts of involuntary manslaughter, 13 counts of reckless endangerment, and one count each of causing a catastrophe, risking a catastrophe, and criminal conspiracy.

If Campbell is convicted on more than one count of third-degree murder, he faces a mandatory prison sentence of life without parole.

William Hobson, Campbell's attorney, said Williams was pursuing third-degree murder charges "for political reasons" and was "clearly overreaching" to punish Campbell for the disaster.

215-854-5983 @RobertMoran215