2 Plead Not Guilty In Salem Newspaper Box Explosion

SALEM (CBS) -- Two young men are free tonight after pleading not guilty to blowing up a newspaper box in Salem owned by an LGBT publication. The explosion was being investigated as a hate crime, but authorities say there's no evidence the crime targeted a particular group. And the people who run the newspaper say they're satisfied with that.

It was the end of August when a surveillance camera caught a frightening scene on Essex St. in Salem. Police say 2 of the people in the video set off some kind of firework in the newspaper box of The Rainbow Times. Today, 20 year old Lawrence Gillman and 23 year old John Richard appeared in court.

"Not guilty pleas will be entered on your behalf," the judge told the men.

The NH men were freed on personal recognizance after being charged with setting off an incendiary device and destroying property. Since The Rainbow Times serves the LGBT community, some people assumed the destruction was a hate crime. But Salem Police say that's not where the investigation lead them.

"We have to build a case based on evidence, and the evidence didn't show that this explosion was caused because these people showed some type of hate towards any one particular group," says Salem Police Capt. Conrad Prosniewski.

The editor of The Rainbow Times doesn't take issue with that finding.

"We understand that hate crimes in any case are very difficult to prove. We agreed with the police, and the charges being brought, because it is very important to us that they are held accountable," says Nicole Lashomb.

The police report on the case says the 2 men admitted to being involved with the explosion, but that they claimed they blew up the box because it was the first thing they found without a lock. They will be back before the judge in December.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports