A Guilty Verdict In the Murder of O’Shae Sibley

Dmitriy Popov, 20, was convicted of manslaughter as a hate crime on Monday in the death of dancer O’Shae Sibley, who was killed in 2023 at a Brooklyn gas station when Popov and friends shouted racist and homophobic slurs to Sibley’s group while they vogued to a Beyoncé song. The altercation intensified and Popov stabbed Sibley. Popov claimed during trial that he was just defending himself. Prosecutors said Popov acted out of hate. The verdict on the first-degree manslaughter charge came after a three-week trial in Brooklyn and a week of deliberation. He was acquitted of murder as a hate crime, which carried the potential of a life sentence. Popov will be sentenced on June 30th, he is facing 8-25 years. His lawyers say he will appeal.