Grady admits "I lit up the clinic"

GREEN BAY - A Grand Chute man charged with setting fire to a Planned Parenthood building in his hometown admits to his crime.

During his initial federal court appearance Wednesday afternoon he asked the judge if he could plead guilty.

"Why? Because I'm guilty," Francis Grady, 50, told FOX 11's Mark Leland leaving the courthouse in Green Bay.

Grady also discounted early police reports that the fire was started by a homemade bomb.

"There was no bomb it was gasoline," said Grady.

Grady is charged with two counts of maliciously and intentionally damaging the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Grand Chute.

The criminal complaint indicates police say Grady used a hammer to break a window, and poured gasoline from a plastic bottle to start the fire.

After being arrested, the complaint states Grady admitted to officers, "I lit up the clinic."

His motive for what he did? He said "because they're killing babies there."

Grady is referring to the clinic at 3800 North Gillett St. in Grand Chute where legal abortions are performed. He even interrupted the judge during court asking if he knew what the clinic does with quote, "the 1,000 babies they killed from that place."

If found guilty on both charges, Grady faces up to 21 years in a federal prison. He also faces a maximum $350,000 in fines.

Grady even asked the judge to make sure he would be sentenced to a federal prison before inquiring about pleading guilty Wednesday.

While Grady was talkative and at times agitated during his short hearing, his court appointed federal defender seemed to take it all in stride.

"Just the first appearance so I know very little about him. The case is just brand new. I'll learn more as the case goes by," said Tom Phillip, Grady's attorney.

Grady showed no remorse for his actions as he left court.

"Hey I'm here to do good not wrong," said Grady.

Despite telling his attorney he was fired at the end of the hearing, only the judge can make that decision.

Grady and his attorney will be back in federal court for a preliminary hearing April 19. Grady in the meantime will be kept in the Outagamie County jail on a probation hold.