Retrial planned for man who broke $4.5M statue's thumb

AP Published: 2019-05-17 14:55:17
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Federal prosecutors plan to retry a Delaware man who admitted he broke a thumb off a $4.5 million statue at a Philadelphia museum.

Visitors browse the Terracotta Army exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum, Saturday, April 21, 2018, in Cincinnati. Enhanced security features have been put into place at the museum following an incident at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute on Dec. 21 where 24-year-old partygoer Michael Rohana allegedly stole a thumb off their exhibit's statue. [Photo: IC]

Visitors browse the Terracotta Army exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum, Saturday, April 21, 2018, in Cincinnati. Enhanced security features have been put into place at the museum following an incident at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute on Dec. 21 where 24-year-old partygoer Michael Rohana allegedly stole a thumb off their exhibit's statue. [Photo: IC]

Philly.com reports prosecutors told a judge Thursday they're refiling charges against Michael Rohana for theft and concealment of an object of cultural heritage.

A jury deadlocked in the case last month after Rohana's lawyer argued he hadn't been charged under the right law.

Rohana was attending a Christmas-themed ugly sweater party at the Franklin Institute when he entered a closed exhibit of ancient Chinese terra cotta warrior statues. Authorities say Rohana snapped the thumb of a statute called "The Cavalryman" and left with it. The incident was captured by surveillance cameras.

Rohana told jurors it was a stupid, drunken mistake.

The vandalism outraged Chinese officials.

A message was left with Rohana's lawyer seeking comment Thursday.

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