Wife of Grammy-winning jazz pianist grazed by bullet at NYC condo; 81-year-old woman arrested

Wife of Grammy-winning jazz star grazed by bullet

NEW YORK — An 81-year-old woman has been charged with attempted murder for trying to shoot the wife of jazz pianist Eddie Palmieri near the elevator at their New York condominium, prosecutors said.

Maria Cartagena pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon and assault Wednesday and was being held on $25,000 bail.

Iraida Palmieri, 73, was inside an elevator at her Forest Hills condo when it stopped at the fourth floor Tuesday evening and the doors opened to reveal Cartagena in the lobby, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

“Move over or I’m going to kill you,” Cartagena told Palmieri, then drew a revolver from the fanny pack clasped around her waist and fired one shot, according to a criminal complaint.

The shot grazed Palmieri’s head. She was treated and released at an area hospital.

The couples lived a floor apart, and the women had been feuding over noise, filing dueling complaints to the city’s 311 hot line, according to a law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Cartagena’s attorney said he couldn’t comment on the facts of the case. Cartagena’s husband, who was charged separately with weapons possession for allegedly having a knife, told the Daily News Palmieri’s wife threatened them.

“She (Iraida Palmieri) told my wife that if we didn’t move out, they were going to send us to the Dominican in boxes, meaning they were going to kill us,” he said.

Eddie Palmieri, a nine-time Grammy winning jazz pianist and band leader, said in a news release that his wife is resting comfortably after an “unprovoked attack.”

“This is a very difficult time for my family,” he said. “It is deeply saddening to hear the allegations posed in defense of this criminal act. This is a matter that we now trust will be handled by the authorities and the court of law.”