Thursday, 4:30 PM
Statement read in court by Sean Stevens
"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to say this. Trying to find the words has filled me with sadness, frustration, and fear, but I feel these things need to be said.
"First off, I'd like to apologize to the people of the cities of Boston, Cambridge, Charlestown, and Somerville and their families all over the world. I never had any intention or even the slightest idea that something I thought would bring glowing smiles to the fans of the Cartoon Network show "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" would cause alarm to so many people.
"Next, I'd like to thank the authorities of the metro Boston region for doing their best to protect the public from what they believed to be a potential threat based on what they knew at the time. I had no intention of upsetting or alarming anyone.
"I've come to understand after the fact that the media coverage was global and ... worried families of many people living in the greater Boston area. I would not have placed the signs had I envisioned such a reaction and had I not believed that my employer had done what was needed to make it fully legal ...
"In the end, I simply felt this was an opportunity to provide harmless enjoyment to many people while earning a small amount of money to create my own art to share with communities I'm a part of."
