A guest convicted of setting a fire in a New York City apartment building after being asked to leave a party has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Daniel Phillips was sentenced Tuesday. His lawyer, Eric Sears, stressed the 32-year-old film editor's clean record and accomplishments.
Sears says it's difficult "to believe he'd ever do something like this intentionally."
The Manhattan district attorney's office says Phillips reluctantly left a friend's January 2009 birthday gathering. Then he started a fire in a recycling storage area.
Prosecutors say flames and smoke shot up the five-story building's stairwell and caused more than $320,000 in damage.
No one was hurt, but dozens of people had to flee into a 14-degree night.
Phillips' plans to appeal his conviction on arson and other charges.
Manhattan Partygoer Gets Prison for Fire in Host's Building
Daniel Phillips was sentenced Tuesday in the January 2009 fire
Copyright AP - Associated Press