New Jersey

Suspect in Fatal Drive-By Shooting of 15-Year-Old Basketball Star Pleads Not Guilty

The man charged in the shooting death of a 15-year-old New Jersey basketball star earlier this week pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted murder and weapons charges during an initial court appearance Thursday.

An attorney for 20-year-old Gregory Oliver, Harley Breite, says his client is innocent in the death of Armoni Sexton, an eight-grader and top basketball scorer at Paterson Charter School for Science and Technology who died Sunday after being shot on Rosa Parks Boulevard in Paterson the night before.

Breite says Oliver was a victim himself of a drive-by shooting the same day. The lawyer says Oliver was wounded in the right arm.

Three other people, two males and a female between 15 and 20 years old, were wounded in the drive-by that killed Sexton. Sexton's mother, Lawanda, says she is praying for Oliver and his family. 

Oliver, who was once a key player on the Kennedy High School football team, has a recent record of alleged violence and drug possession, according to the Record.

Breite described him as “a very polite and respectful young man” who has a young child and mentored young people at summer programs. At the time of the shooting he was unemployed, according to the Record.

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