NEW YORK, Sept. 13 (UPI) -- A black New York City man accused of killing a man because he was white says he's not racist.
Lashawn Marten, 31, allegedly punched Jeffrey Babbitt, 62, on Sept. 4 after yelling "I'm going to punch the first white man I see!" in Union Square, the New York Daily News reported.
Babbitt hit the pavement and went into a coma. He died Monday.
Marten was charged with felony assault for the attack and is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. Law enforcement officials said the charges will likely be upgraded.
In an interview from the prison ward in Bellevue Hospital on Thursday, Marten said he's not racist.
"I've punched white people. I've punched brown people. I've punched Hispanic people," Marten said. "So what? I don't target anyone."
