The 30-year-old man accused of fatally shooting Joey Gingerella outside a Groton bar on Dec. 11 waived his right to a probable cause hearing and pleaded not guilty to murder Thursday in New London Superior Court.

Dante A. Hughes, 30, stood with his newly hired attorney, Walter D. Hussey of Hartford, during a brief court appearance at which family members and friends of Gingerella, many wearing black T-shirts with Gingerella's face printed on the front and #justiceforjoey on the back, filled half the courtroom.

Hughes, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, answered a series of questioned posed by Judge Hillary B. Strackbein to ensure he understood he was giving up his right to the preliminary hearing. Under state law, defendants in murder cases, because they are subject to 60 years in prison — the equivalent of a life sentence — have the right to a hearing within 60 days of their arrest. At the hearing, the prosecution would present evidence to convince a judge there is probable cause to believe the offense charged has been committed and that the accused person has committed it.

The judge told Hughes that since he has waived the hearing, his lawyer and prosecutor Paul J. Narducci would begin to discuss, during pretrial meetings in her chambers, whether the case could be resolved short of a trial. Narducci said the state is waiting for case reports from the Eastern District Major Crime Squad and Groton Town Police Department, and that he would share them with the defense as soon as they are available.

As Hughes turned to go back into the lockup area, he glanced over at Gingerella's survivors, prompting an angry response from Gingerella's father, Frank Gingerella.

"Don't look over here!" Gingerella said.

Judicial marshals told Gingerella such outbursts are not allowed and asked him to leave the courtroom.

Joey Gingerella, 24, had made public his battle with addiction to opioid painkillers and inspired his mother and stepfather, Tammy and Joe de la Cruz, to start the nonprofit support group Community Speaks Out.

Groton Town Police allege Hughes shot Gingerella in the parking lot of Ryan's Pub on Fort Hill Road when Gingerella and other patrons attempted to stop Hughes from beating up his girlfriend, Latoya S. Knight.

Hughes fled the area after the shooting and was arrested two days later when he attempted to enter Canada via the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, N.Y. 

Knight, who allegedly misled police about Hughes' identification, was charged with interfering with police. She has pleaded not guilty and is due back in court on March 31.

Hughes' next court date also is March 31.

k.florin@theday.com