A Manhattan grand jury has indicted the Manhattan man who allegedly set a deadly SoHo fire out of jealousy last week.
Wei Chu Hu, 45, remains jailed on the murderous blaze, and despite what cops described as his initial confession, has now stopped talking, even to his attorney.
"He seems mentally exhausted, that's the only way I can describe it," said Hu's court appointed lawyer, Kenneth Walsh, after an emotionless-looking Hu was brought to Manhattan Criminal Court to be informed of the indictment.
"I can't speak to him, and his wife is one of his alleged intended victims, so she hasn't been speaking with me," the lawyer said.
Kristy Leibowitz
Wei Chu Hu, accused of setting fatal SoHo fire.
"He's been through a lot, and he hasn't been very receptive to conversation," he said.
All of Hu's medical and identification records were destroyed in the blaze at 41 Spring Street, the lawyer added.
Hu, who worked in a Chinatown fish market, speaks only Cantonese, and immigrated from China only within the past year, the lawyer said. He declined to comment on whether Hu is in the country legally.
Hu had told authorities he ignited two mattresses -- sparking a fire which killed an innocent, newlywed resident, who died on a third floor fire escape -- because he believed his wife was sleeping with another man, authorities said.
Cops said Hu worsened the situation by attacking a cop and a firefighter outside the building in an attempt to stop them from going inside to help victims.
He is due back in court Feb. 13.
Firebug who set SoHo blaze indicted
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