James Sever, the alleged lawn mower bomber from Salem Township who is accused of trying to blow up his former landlord, had his day in court on Monday.

Sever pleaded not guilty, but Pennsylvania State Police say he confessed to trying to kill his former landlord after he was apprehended. 

Going into court on Monday, James Sever had little to say, but coming out of court over an hour later, that's another story.

"Mr. Sever, did you confess to police about this bombing?" KDKA-TV's Chris DeRose asked. 

"No, of course not," Sever said. "I am the only victim in this whole circumstance. I'm the only one. I am the only victim." 

State police allege that back in July, Sever was evicted from his rental unit by landlord Dave Martin, and in retaliation, Sever placed an improvised explosive device under Martin's riding lawn mower. That pipe bomb detonated, but Martin was able to make it to safety.

Sever then spent almost two months on the run.

During that time, the former home he rented burned down in a fire that state police are calling suspicious. And the state police also say that a pipe bomb that shut down the Irwin exit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike back in August belonged to Sever, though how it ended up there is still under investigation.

Sever's attorney claims that all of the evidence collected against his client is circumstantial, but state police say that after Sever was apprehended, he confessed to the bombing, just not during a recorded interrogation. They say the confession came after an interrogation and that only a non-audio surveillance camera captured the confession on tape, though it was witnessed by two troopers.

KDKA-TV spoke with Dave Martin, Sever's former landlord, outside of the courtroom on Monday, who denied any of Sever's allegations against him. 

"This looks like it is going to trial. What do you hope the outcome is?" DeRose asked. 

"Well, I said it before, I hope they lock him up for a long time, you know," Martin said. 

Sever was denied bail and he is currently being held at the Westmoreland County Prison. He is due back in court on Wednesday, Nov. 19.