Accused Stonewall Attacker Matthew Francis Will Not Apologize To Victim Benjamin Carver Because “I Don’t Know What I Should Sorry For;” Says He Cannot Be Homophobe Because Sister Is “Full-Blown Lesbian”

The New York Daily News interviewed Matthew Francis Wednesday inside the Manhattan House of Detention where the 21 year old continues to wait for someone to post bail, Francis arraigned on a charge of assault as a hate crime and attempted robbery in connection to an alleged attack early Sunday on openly gay 34 year old Benjamin Carver inside the bathroom of the famed Stonewall Inn bar in the city’s West Village. According to Francis, he was not involved in any assault nor a robbery, telling the News he was just breaking up a bar fight, and had no idea he was in the bar considered to be the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement. “I’m not going to say sorry, because I don’t know what I should be sorry for,” said Francis. “I don’t hate gay people. I don’t hate anyone.” He added that he feels badly for what happened to Carver, but that he is not to blame, and he resents the application of hate crime charge. “If it had happened somewhere else I wouldn’t be here,” he says. “I’m not a thug,” denying he is a homophobe by way of this explanation: “My sister’s a full-blown lesbian. I don’t discriminate against gay people.” Both he and his accomplice, 17 year old Christopher Orlando - whose father denied he is a bigot – are due to appear again in court Friday.