A Greeneville attorney has been charged with vandalism under $500 in connection with a Nov. 25 incident at the Greene County Courthouse.

A criminal summons filed against Francis X. Santore, Jr., by Sgt. Charles Morelock, chief of security for the county courthouse, alleged that on Nov. 25 Santore was in the Circuit Courtroom when he became "irate" and threw a coffee cup across the courtroom before "cursing loudly" and leaving the courtroom.

Once outside the courtroom, according to the criminal summons, Santore pulled a railing from a stairwell wall, causing an estimated $30 in damage.

A copy of the criminal summons on file in General Sessions Court on Monday said it had been served on Dec. 4 by Deputy Sheriff Glea Waddle.

Santore was arraigned on the misdemeanor vandalism charge before General Sessions Judge Kenneth Bailey, Jr., on Monday afternoon.

Judge Bailey said from the bench during the brief arraignment hearing that the state Administrative Office of the Courts will appoint a judge to try the misdemeanor case against Santore, who was represented on Monday by Greeneville attorney Ronald E. Chesnut.

Judge Bailey said he did not know who the special judge might be.

The judge also said that the case against Santore will be prosecuted by an assistant district attorney from another judicial district. The prosecuting attorney, Judge Bailey said, could come from Sullivan County or Sevier County.

Judge Bailey set a Feb. 20 date for Santore's trial on the misdemeanor charge.