The 17-year-old charged with murder as a hate crime in the fatal stabbing last month of a gay Black dancer at a Brooklyn gas station pleaded not guilty at an arraignment on Friday.
The teenager, Dmitriy Popov, entered the plea in State Supreme Court in Brooklyn, where he will be tried as an adult.
The hate crime count could increase any minimum sentence to 20 years from 15.
A witness told the authorities he saw Mr. Popov stab Mr. Sibley.
Mr. Popov, who lives in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn, was arrested several days later.
Persons:
Dmitriy Popov, Popov, O’Shae Sibley, Sibley
Organizations:
Court
Locations:
Brooklyn, Sheepshead