2 charged in Center City building collapse want mayor as witness

Two contractors charged in the June 2013 fatal Philadelphia building collapse have a lengthy witness list that includes Mayor Michael Nutter.

Demolition contractor Griffin Campbell and subcontractor Sean Benschop are charged with third-degree murder in the deaths of six people killed inside a thrift store.

Prosecutors say they were recklessly knocking down an adjacent building when a towering brick wall fell on the store in June 2013.

Defense lawyers have called their clients scapegoats.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the witness list they submitted Wednesday includes city officials with oversight or knowledge of the demolition project.

A mayoral spokesman says the administration has not seen the list and has no comment.

The 50-year-old Campbell and 43-year-old Benschop are in custody and want an early trial, but the trial date remains unclear.