Suspect in high school basketball player's shooting death in Paterson to appear in court

PATERSON, N.J. (WABC) -- One of two Paterson men charged in the death of a New Jersey high school basketball player killed in a drive-by shooting earlier this month is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

Twenty-year-old Hasmeek Coles faces single counts of murder and receiving stolen property and three counts of attempted murder in the shooting, while 20-year old Gregory Oliver faces charges of murder, attempted murder and weapons possession.

Armoni Sexton, 15, was buried Monday. He was gunned down April 18 outside of a liquor store at the intersection of Rosa Parks Boulevard and Godwin Avenue around 8:30 p.m. in Paterson. His mother said he was heading home because he had a 9 p.m. curfew.

"Where we live, it's reality," Lawanda Sexton said. "No one wants to get the phone call or, oh, you're child has been killed, but it's the reality."

Armoni Sexton attended a Paterson charter school and at his funeral, his teammates stood together to show their love and respect. Sexton had dreamed of playing in the NBA.

"He was like a best friend, he was my brother, his mother is like my mother, and I treat him like a brother and he'll always be in my heart," said Dazmin Staton, Sexton's teammate.

"He always had people laughing and cheering and now with him gone it's just like a vacancy, it's a quiet sadness all over school," said Richard Warren, Sexton's teammate.

Sexton's death is being used as a lesson in Paterson schools to stop the violence.

"We teach kids to care for thy neighbor, to care for one another, to have care and concern and the power of giving versus the power of receiving," said Zatiti Moody, Eastside High School principal.

Gregory Oliver:

Oliver's lawyer, attorney Harley Breite, said his client was shot in the right arm on the same day in a separate drive-by shooting in Paterson.