Arlo Willner, 21, the son of late "Saturday Night Live" music coordinator Hal Willner, appeared virtually in Manhattan Criminal Court on September 10, 2026, for a disposition hearing related to charges of attempted murder and assault. Willner, who pleaded not guilty to all counts last year, was ordered by the judge to appear in person on November 2 or face an arrest warrant.
Prosecutors allege that on May 17, 2025, Willner approached three men outside Sally's Bar in Manhattan's Kips Bay neighborhood with the intent to purchase cocaine. An argument reportedly ensued when the victims told Willner it was not an appropriate place for such a transaction. The situation escalated, and Willner allegedly produced a pocketknife.
According to a criminal complaint, Willner then stabbed one man, 46, in the neck, another, 45, in the shoulder, and the third, in his 30s, in the stomach. The victims were transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. Willner was initially arrested and charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon, with charges later upgraded by prosecutors to attempted murder and two counts of first-degree assault.
Willner was arraigned on July 17, 2025, and pleaded not guilty. He posted bail, which was set at $100,000 cash or a $200,000 bond. Court records indicate he has had nine court appearances since his arraignment, including the recent disposition hearing. It remains unclear if he has attended previous proceedings in person.
Willner is the son of the late Hal Willner, who served as SNL's music coordinator for decades and passed away in April 2020 at age 64 due to complications related to Covid-19. His mother, Sheila Rogers, is a three-time Emmy Award-winning supervising producer who worked on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" and "The Late Show with David Letterman." Public records indicate Willner resides in a luxury apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the same address as his mother.
Willner's attorney, David Scott Smith, was present in the courtroom during the disposition hearing, standing near the monitor displaying Willner's video feed. A disposition hearing typically aims to resolve a case and determine its outcome or penalty. The Daily Mail has reached out to Smith for comment.