A man who was charged with murdering out gay dancer and choreographer O’Shae Sibley at a Brooklyn gas station in July of 2023 testified at his own trial on May 27, saying he acted in self-defense.
The trial, held at State Supreme Court in Brooklyn, comes nearly three years after then 17-year-old Dmitriy Popov of Sheepshead Bay was charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime, first-degree manslaughter as a hate crime, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon for his alleged role in the death of Sibley, who was killed on July 29 after he and his friends stopped at the Mobil gas station at 1921 Coney Island Ave. in the Midwood section of Brooklyn.
At the gas station, Sibley, 28, and his friends were voguing and listening to music after a day at the beach when a group of strangers allegedly approached them and voiced anti-LGBTQ and racist slurs.
“Get that gay s–t out of here,” Popov and his friends said at the time, according to prosecutors.
“You don’t know us, we’re just having a good time and enjoying our lives,” Sibley said in response, prosecutors said. “It’s all respect, we’re allowed to be here just like you.”
While the defendant’s friends departed the scene, Popov, now 20 years old, allegedly stayed and recorded on his cell phone as he made more hateful remarks, prosecutors said. When he was confronted by Sibley and his friends, Popov allegedly produced a knife, pointed it at Sibley’s friend, and proceeded to stab Sibley on the side of his chest, puncturing his heart.
At his trial on May 27, Popov sought to back up his claim of self-defense, arguing that he “was scared that I was going to get hurt,” the New York Times reported. Popov admitted to the killing in court, according to the New York Times, but his attorney, Mark Pollard, said his client “had no choice but to take the stand to tell the jury that he was acting out of self-defense.”
Popov denied ever using anti-gay remarks or racist slurs, despite apparent video evidence. Still, Sarah Jafari, one of the prosecutors in the case, said Popov’s story contradicted the account of witnesses.
“So it’s your testimony that they all came in here and lied to this jury but you’re the one who is telling the truth?” Jafari asked Popov, who said, “Yes. I did not say no racial slurs or any homophobic slurs.”
Popov insisted that Sibley “ran at me” and punched him in the head, leading to the stabbing.
The courtroom watched surveillance video footage from the scene showing Sibley and his friends walking away from Popov and flashing a peace sign. But while Popov’s friends went back into the gas station, Popov stayed outside to record Sibley and his friends and call them out, the Times reported.
Popov, who confirmed that Sibley did not appear to have any weapons at the time, told prosecutors that he later threw away the cell phone he was using to record the incident.
Sibley’s friend, Otis Pena, who was on the scene, said in a Facebook post in 2023 that the group who confronted Sibley and his friends “hated us ’cause we are gay!” “Screaming [we’re] Muslim and we don’t like gays!!!!! As we are innocently pumping gas and y’all decided to stab one of us!!!”
Sibley’s death drew widespread attention — not just in New York City, but around the US. A large demonstration and vigil was held in early August of 2023 at the gas station where Sibley was killed, drawing hundreds of people who delivered remarks and held signs and photographs.
“We must win for O’Shae!” Qween Jean, a prominent New York City-based activist, said at the time. “We must remain vigilant.”
