Teen accused in Brooklyn hate crime stabbing is ‘good Christian boy,’ attorney says

DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) – 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. According to New York State law, anyone over 13 who is charged with murder is prosecuted in adult court. The teen was back in court Monday morning for a procedural hearing. 

Popov is accused of fatally stabbing Sibley, 28, during a confrontation at a Midwood gas station on the night of July 29. 

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. 

Pollard said his client is a high school senior who works two jobs and has never been in trouble before. 

After detectives visited Popov's family home to question him in the homicide case, Pollard was retained and surrendered his client to detectives on Friday. 

It's unclear if a weapon was recovered by police.

"If they found a knife, I didn’t hear it in court," Pollard said, adding that his client has not spoken to detectives. 

When asked if Popov was present at the scene the night of Sibley’s death, Pollard said "No comment."

The suspect was remanded. The district attorney has until Friday to secure a grand jury indictment.

Sibley's mother, Onetha Sibley, said on Monday that it's been "overwhelming" and she is "glad he's off the streets."