A New York City man convicted of a hate crime in the 2023 stabbing death of vogue dancer O'Shae Sibley faces a prison sentence of eight to 25 years. Dmitriy Popov, now 20, was 17 at the time of the killing. Sentencing is tentatively set for 30 June.
Trial and Verdict
Popov testified that he acted in self-defense when he fatally stabbed Sibley on 29 July 2023 outside a Brooklyn gas station. However, prosecutors argued that anti-LGBTQ+ hatred motivated him. After a three-week trial in Brooklyn state supreme court, a jury found Popov guilty of manslaughter as a hate crime, second-degree menacing, aggravated harassment, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was acquitted of murder as a hate crime, sparing him a life sentence.
Reactions
Popov's attorney, Mark Pollard, described the verdict as "probably bittersweet for both sides," expressing relief that his client was not convicted of murder but disappointed he was not acquitted on the other charges.
Incident Details
Sibley, 28, had returned from a beach birthday party with friends and stopped for gas while playing Beyoncé music. He and his friends were dancing shirtless and voguing—a dance style popularized by queer Black and Latino individuals in the ballroom scene—when another group began taunting them. Security footage showed the groups arguing briefly before separating. Popov then approached Sibley's group, hurling insults and recording on his phone. Sibley confronted him, and Popov stabbed him with a five-and-a-half-inch blade. Popov claimed he feared injury and denied using bigoted language.
Legal Context
New York prosecutors tried Popov as an adult under a state law allowing anyone over 13 accused of murder to be treated as an adult. Sibley, originally from Philadelphia, had moved to New York to pursue dance and was a member of the Philadanco dance company, celebrating his LGBTQ+ identity through his art.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
