Man pleads not guilty in 'homophobic' murder of gay man

The man charged with killing a gay man in the West Village last month was arraigned in a Manhattan court yesterday, officials said.

Elliot Morales, 33, pleaded not guilty to a murder as a hate crime in the death of Mark Carson, 32. He also pleaded not guilty to charges of criminal weapons possession and menacing a police officer.

Prosecutors allege that Morales yelled homophobic slurs at Carson then shot him point-blank.