'Kai the Hitchhiker' Enters Not Guilty Plea

A public defender today entered a plea of not guilty for Caleb Lawrence McGillvary (aka 'Kai the Hitchhiker'), the Internet celebrity who police say beat 73-year-old Clark attorney Joseph Galfy to death earlier this month. 

McGillvary, 24, made a brief first appearance in Union County Superior Court this morning. He is being held on $3 million bail.

According to a report in the Star-Ledger, McGillvary "appeared confused" regarding the charges against him, asking Superior Court Judge Brenda Cappola Cuba to elaborate. When told his bail, he responded "Oh fine. Cool."

When asked how to be contacted should he make bail, McGillvary at first responded with "By email. Facebook," but then gave an address in Edmonton, Canada, according to the report.

McGillvary also told the judge that friends had been trying to arrange an attorney for him, but he had not been allowed to make a phone call to contact him.

Union County Public Defender Lorraine Stanley told the Star-Ledger that friends of McGillivary had been arranging to hire Clifton attorney Miles Feinstein to represent him.

Feinstein could not be immediately reached for comment.

Galfy was found in his Clark home on Monday, May 13 after hosting McGillvary overnight on Saturday and Sunday. Police say that McGillvary murdered Galfy, who was found in his underwear and socks, severely beaten. McGillvary was arrested in Philadelphia on May 16.

For his part, in a May 14 post on his Facebook page, McGillvary alleges that he was drugged and raped, and asks readers, "what would you do?"

McGillvary became an Internet sensation in February: After saving a Fresno woman by smashing her attacker in the head with his hatchet, McGillvary’s offbeat personality in an interview made for a YouTube video that garnered nearly 4 million views (see it here - warning, contains profanity). He also recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

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READ MORE:

'Kai the Hitchhiker:' I'm Not Guilty of Clark Murder

'Kai the Hitchhiker' Agrees to Be Extradited to NJ

'Free Kai' Petition Started Online

Fans of 'Kai the Hitchhiker' Want to Raise $3M in Bail Money

CAUGHT: 'Kai the Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker' Arrested in Philadelphia

UPDATE: 'Suspicious Death' of Clark Resident Now Ruled a Homicide