Two New Hampshire Men Plead ‘Not Guilty' in LGBTQ Newspaper Box Explosion in Salem, Mass.

The men were summoned to appear in Salem Superior Court

Two New Hampshire men plead ‘not guilty’ to charges in connection with an explosion at an LGBTQ newspaper box in Salem, Massachusetts.

John Richard and Lawrence Gilman appeared in Salem Superior Court Friday morning. They are charged with malicious damage of over $250 and placing an incendiary device in the newspaper box.

Richard and Gilman are accused of destroying a newspaper box for The Rainbow Times in Downtown Salem in August.

Initially, police were treating the incident as a hate crime because the publication covers the LGBTQ community, but investigators did not find clear evidence that a hate crime had occurred.

Publisher Gricel Ocasio of The Rainbow Times spoke to necn. She said she is disappointed that these crimes were not charged as hate crimes, but they are glad that the two suspects are being held allegedly responsible for what happened.

The suspects were released on their own recognizance. They will be back in court on Dec. 7.

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