NEW YORK (AP/ 1010 WINS) -- A baby-faced 16-year-old and four other young men were arraigned Thursday on attempted murder charges in a Bronx shooting that left an innocent bystander in critical condition.
The suspects did not enter pleas on Thursday. They were being held until their next court date, Nov. 23.
The attorney for the suspected shooter, 16-year-old Carvett Gentles, said his client denies the allegations, and claimed that prosecutors were trying to sway public opinion about the case through the media.
``It's tragic that innocent people got hurt,'' said attorney John Sandleitner. ``But someone has been leaking information, and there has been a rush to judgment in this case. Meanwhile, you have a kid with no criminal history, who's never been arrested in his life, and is from a good family.''
Police said Gentles was chosen to fire the gun because of his clean record. The other four suspects, Rohan Francis, 18; Cleve Smith, 20; his brother Clivie Smith, 19; and Dwayne Taylor, 23, have extensive criminal records. The five were also charged with criminal possession of a weapon and assault.
Police found shell casings from a .40-caliber gun at the scene, but no weapon has been recovered.
Attorneys for the other men did not return calls seeking comment. The mother of the Smith brothers said outside court that her sons were innocent.
Vada Vasquez, 15, was hit in the head with a stray bullet as she walked home from school. She remained Thursday evening in a medically induced coma.
Police said the suspects targeted 19-year-old Tyrone Creighton after his brothers got involved in a fight at Rikers Island prison. He remained hospitalized with a bullet in his lung.
Investigators are trying to uncover how word got out to do the shooting from the prison.
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