A man charged with urinating on several small U.S. flags he tore out of the ground at a veterans' cemetery in Massachusetts has been released after pleading not guilty.
Michael Lacey appeared in court Thursday to face charges of defacement of an American veteran's grave marker, open and gross lewdness, and disturbing the peace for his alleged actions Sept. 10 in Somerville.
The incident sparked online outrage when George Gatteny took several pictures of the flags and the suspect and posted them on Facebook along with an explanation.
Lacey, who lives in Boston, turned himself in Wednesday.
Prosecutors say he was on a date with a woman and had been drinking when he made some sort of anti-government statement before the incident.
Lacey refused to answer questions outside of court.
