At a press conference, Mary Znidarsic-Nicosia and Nicholas Nicosia defended themselves against "false claims of racism." Then, she confessed she runs a "blatantly racist" Twitter account.
The damage was limited to the back porch of the historic house, where suffragist Susan B. Anthony lived in the 19th century. The Rochester Fire Department is investigating the source of the blaze.
Attorneys representing Nathaniel McFarland, one of Prude's five children and the administrator of his estate, also allege civil rights violations and gross negligence in the lawsuit filed Monday.
Efforts are growing to remove or reduce the role of police in responding to people in a mental health crisis. Critics and proponents alike say a widely adopted program has too often failed.
Mayor Lovely Warren fired the police chief, suspended two city officials and called for federal investigations into the city's handling of Daniel Prude's arrest in March and the events that followed.
Daniel Prude was arrested in March after behaving erratically on a city street. Officers placed a protective hood over his head, and Prude ultimately stopped breathing. He died a week later.
