A Yonkers man has admitted to pulling the trigger in a deadly street shooting that claimed the life of a 41-year-old last summer. Xavier Palmer, 29, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in Westchester County Court on June 18. Under the plea deal, he is expected to be sentenced on July 30 to 25 years in state prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision.
What Happened On Cliff Street
According to police, the shooting unfolded just before 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 11, 2025, on the sidewalk near 30 Cliff Street in Yonkers. Officers arrived to find 41-year-old James Hardy, described by authorities as being from Mount Vernon, with a gunshot wound to the chest. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Investigators with the Yonkers Police Department identified Palmer as the suspect and arrested him later that same day, and officers recovered a loaded Glock 9mm handgun at the scene, as reported by News 12.
Plea And Sentencing
The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office publicly announced Palmer’s guilty plea this week, according to Daily Voice. Judge George Fufidio agreed to accept the plea on the condition that the negotiated sentence be imposed, and scheduled sentencing for July 30. If the court follows through with the agreement, Palmer will serve 25 years in state prison, to be followed by five years of post-release supervision.
Charges And Legal Context
Palmer was initially arrested on counts of second-degree murder and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the August shooting, as reported by the Rockland/Westchester Journal News. Under New York law, first-degree manslaughter is a class B felony that carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, according to Penal Law §125.20. The plea deal spares both sides a murder trial and instead locks in a specific sentence that was negotiated between prosecutors and the defense.
Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace praised investigators for their swift work on the case and said the prosecution should bring “some sense of closure to the victim’s friends and family,” according to reporting in the Yonkers Times. In the months since the shooting, community anti-violence groups, including SNUG, have renewed calls for peace and stepped-up efforts to curb gun violence in Yonkers, as reported by News 12.
