PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A Portland man charged in a fatal shooting last month has pleaded not guilty.

Twenty-four-year-old Mark Cardilli Jr. made a brief court appearance Tuesday. He’s charged with murder in the death of 22-year-old Isahak Muse. After the hearing, he was returned to the Cumberland County Jail, where he’s being held without bail.

Police say Muse was shot during an altercation inside Cardilli’s home on March 16. Cardilli was arrested Friday evening after being indicted by a grand jury.

The delay in charges created tension in the city’s Muslim community. Some called it a hate crime by a white man against a black Muslim man.

But defense attorney Jon Gale told the Portland Press Herald that race played no role in the shooting. He said he’s disappointed the state pursued charges.