A 17-year-old was indicted on a hate-crime homicide cost in a stabbing that adopted taunts and confrontation over a gaggle of males dancing shirtless to Beyoncé as they gassed up their automotive, prosecutors stated Thursday.
Prosecutors concluded O’Shae Sibley’s demise was motivated by anti-Black and anti-LGBTQ bias, Brooklyn District Legal professional Eric Gonzalez stated.
“It’s clear to me, beneath the circumstances of this case, that in substantial half, this assault was prompted as a result of individuals had been offended by Mr. Sibley and his mates dancing and celebrating,” Gonzalez stated.
The suspect is due in court docket Friday to reply the cost. It mirrors the cost on which he was arrested final week. If convicted, he faces not less than 20 years in jail.
The Related Press despatched a textual content message to his legal professional, Mark Pollard, looking for remark. Pollard’s voicemail field was full. The teenager’s grandmother instructed the Each day Information he was defending himself. Prosecutors haven’t launched the suspect’s title.
The chain of occasions that resulted in Sibley’s July 29 demise started when he and his mates had been dancing at a pump at a Brooklyn fuel station, and one other group of individuals started taunting them, authorities stated.
Safety digicam video confirmed the 2 teams arguing for a couple of minutes. Either side walked away, after which Sibley and a buddy returned and confronted one of many others, who had stayed behind recording on his telephone.
Within the video, Sibley, 28, might be seen following that particular person after which lunging at him earlier than the 2 disappeared out of the digicam’s body. A second later, Sibley walked backward into view, checking his facet, then collapsed to the sidewalk.
“What the video exhibits is that Mr. Sibley was rightfully able to talk out and shield himself and his mates from anti-gay and anti-Black slurs, and that what occurred after that was against the law,” stated Gonzalez, a Democrat. He famous that Sibley and his mates had been unarmed.
“Defending your self from the anti-gay or anti-Black feedback, arguing again, it’s not a trigger for somebody to take a weapon and do what was performed on this case,” the prosecutor stated. He added that he was assured the fees could be confirmed at trial.
Sibley carried out with the dance firm Philadanco in his native Philadelphia and in New York and took lessons with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Ailey Extension program. He used dance to have fun his LGBTQ identification in works reminiscent of “Gentle: A Love Letter to Black Queer Males,” choreographed by Kemar Jewel.
About 200 individuals attended Sibley’s funeral Tuesday at a historic opera home in Philadelphia. His demise has prompted an outpouring of tributes from politicians and celebrities, together with Beyoncé and filmmaker Spike Lee.
