The man allegedly responsible for shooting 7-month-old Kaori Patterson-Moore in Brooklyn earlier this month pleaded not guilty to murder charges Wednesday, a day after the family buried the slain infant.

Amuri Greene, 21, hobbled into a Brooklyn courtroom on crutches just after 2:30 p.m. on April 15. Struggling to walk, he had each wrist cuffed to the wooden supports as he hopped on one leg.

Sitting before Acting Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun with his foot wrapped up, he hung his head as his attorney, Jay Schwitzman, entered a plea of not guilty.

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Greene is accused of sitting on the back of a scooter on April 1 at the intersection of Humboldt and Moore Streets in Williamsburg just after 1:20 p.m. on April 1 and firing several shots, one of which struck little Patterson-Moore in the head as her mother pushed her in a stroller that sunny afternoon.

The alleged getaway driver, Matthew Rodriguez, raced away from the scene but collided with an oncoming vehicle, sending Greene hurtling from the vehicle and breaking his leg.

Sitting before Judge Danny Chun with his foot wrapped up, he hung his head as his attorney, Jay Schwitzman, entered a plea of not guilty.Photo by Dean Moses
Sitting before Judge Danny Chun with his foot wrapped up, he hung his head.Photo by Dean Moses

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Despite pleading not guilty, Greene’s alleged accomplice broke down to amNewYork on Tuesday as he was hauled away in cuffs after being extradited back to the Big Apple. Rodriguez laid the blame solely at Greene’s feet.

“It’s not my fault, I don’t pull the trigger. I promise I didn’t know. I promise, I promise, I didn’t know. I didn’t know he was going to do it. I didn’t know he was going to pull the trigger,” Rodriguez  said over and over again. “I didn’t know he was going to do that.”

Earlier that morning, Patterson-Moore’s tiny pink casket was driven in a horse-drawn carriage around the community in a sorrowful procession, during which locals bid their final farewells.

suspect in Brooklyn baby shooting walks with head down accompanied by nypd detectives following arrestAccording to police sources, 18-year-old Matthew Rodriguez was extradited back to the Big Apple after fleeing to Monroe County, PA, immediately following the April 1 shooting. He was arrested on April 3 after tracking him down to his hideaway.
Greene was remanded in custody. He faces a phalanx of charges including second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, second-degree assault, two counts of first-degree criminal use of a firearm, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, first-degree reckless endangerment, and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Following the proceedings, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said the arraignment represented another step toward justice for Patterson-Moore’s family.

“We were at the hospital with the family, and we promised this family that this case would be given the utmost attention and priority,” Gonzalez said. This is another step towards the fulfillment of the promise that the men who stole their child’s life will be held accountable and that justice will prevail.”

Greene is next expected to be in court on June 10. If convicted of the murder charge, he could face up to 25 years to life in prison.
We were at the hospital with the family, and we promised this family that this case would be given the utmost attention and priority,” Gonzalez said. This is another step towards the fulfillment of the promise that the men who stole their child’s life will be held accountable and that justice will prevail.”Photo by Dean Moses