April 30, 2018 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced today that Errol Hillary of the Bronx was sentenced to 125 years to life in the murder of a Mount Vernon nightclub co-owner and the wounding of five other men in the club Christmas Day, 2016.
Sentencing on the following charges:
- one count of Murder in the Second Degree, a class A-1 felony: 25 years to life in state prison
- five counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, class B felonies: 20 years in state prison for each of the five counts.
These sentences will run consecutively, equaling a minimum of 125 years to life in prison.
In addition, on one count of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, Hillary was sentenced to 10 years in state prison to be served concurrently with the other sentences.
Background:
On Dec. 25, 2016, at approximately 2:50 a.m., the defendant entered “The Mansion,” a nightclub located at 4 North Third Avenue, Mount Vernon where a Christmas party was being held.
While inside the club, the defendant became agitated and began to cause a disturbance. When security asked him to leave, the defendant began to fight with two members of the security team. Security attempted to forcibly remove the defendant by dragging him to the front door.
O’Neil Bandoo, the co-owner and manager of the club, was standing outside with his friend who was the head of security at The Mansion, when they heard the commotion. The two men entered the club and asked Hillary to comply with security and leave. That is when the defendant walked toward the front door, grabbed a 9mm firearm from his person and began shooting back into the hallway.
Hillary shot O’Neil Bandoo, 36, one time in the chest killing him. He continued firing his pistol and seriously wounded five others in the hallway. Some suffered multiple gunshot wounds and sustained life-altering injuries.
While the defendant fired into the hallway he was tackled by the head of security who was able to disarm him. Mount Vernon Police officers arrested Hillary as he fled the scene.
Hillary was convicted by a jury in Westchester County Court. Summations in the case were heard Friday, March 23, 2018 and the jury returned to court Monday, March 26, 2018 and delivered their verdict later in the day.
At the time of this shooting, the defendant had been released on $200,000 bail for another shooting in the Bronx where he was charged with Attempted Murder in the Second Degree. That case is still open and pending.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lana Hochheiser, Deputy Chief of the Homicide Bureau, and Deputy District Attorney Timothy Ward of the Superior Court Trial Division.
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In compliance with the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.6, you are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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