NEW YORK CITY: Grand Jury Indicts Elliot Morales For Murder Of Mark Carson, Lawyer Claims Morales Was Sexually Abused As A Child

This afternoon a New York City grand jury formally indicted Elliot Morales (left) for the murder of Mark Carson. Multiple charges include second-degree murder as a hate crime. Morales' lawyer pleaded "not guilty" even though Morales bragged about the murder during his arrest.

The lawyer, Kevin Michael Canfield, later said Morales is not guilty of the slaying and is "devastated by the charges." "He didn't murder anybody," Canfield said, suggesting there were other factors at play. "He was sexually abused as a child by a male authority figure which led to a lifetime of alcoholism and drug abuse," Canfield told the Daily News, adding, "It's a terrible tragedy." "Look at you faggots, you look like gay wrestlers," Morales allegedly told victim Mark Carson and his friend minutes before policed say he shot Mark Carson, 32, in the head. Authorities said he callously laughed as he confessed to the random killing. His gleeful expression came as he allegedly told investigators, "I shot him in the face."

The Daily News notes that members of Carson's family were in the courtroom as the indictment was issued. Morales is being held without bail at Rikers.