Lawyer For Suspect In Hate Crime Killing Of New York City Dancer Says His Client Is A “Good Christian Boy”

New York City’s Pix11 reports:

As loved ones prepare to celebrate the life of O’Shae Sibley on Tuesday in his native Philadelphia, the attorney for the teen accused in his stabbing death is speaking out. Dmitriy Popov, 17, of Brooklyn, was arraigned on multiple charges, including murder and a hate crime.

The Kings County district attorney is charging Popov as an adult. Sibley, who was gay, was seen on video voguing before the deadly encounter. Popov allegedly confronted Sibley about his dancing. After the two exchanged words, Popov allegedly stabbed Sibley in the chest, police said.

Following Monday morning’s court hearing in Downtown Brooklyn, Popov’s defense attorney Mark Pollard told PIX11’s Anthony DiLorenzo that contrary to other reports, his client is a “good Christian boy,” not Muslim. He was born in the United States, while his parents are from Russia.

Read the full article. According to witnesses, some in the group who accosted Sibley and his friends had said the dancing offended their Muslim faith. Over the weekend local Muslim leaders denounced the killing at a press conference with the mayor.

The attorney for a teen accused of fatally stabbing a man at a Brooklyn gas station said he’s a high school senior who works two jobs and has never been in trouble beforehttps://t.co/YzMvf0B85J

— PIX11 News (@PIX11News) August 7, 2023

Popov’s defense attorney told PIX11 that contrary to other reports, his client is a “good Christian boy,” not Muslim.

Popov is accused of fatally stabbing Sibley, 28, during a confrontation at a Midwood gas station on the night of July 29.https://t.co/IGuOtCH1qf

— FFRF (@FFRF) August 8, 2023