BOSTON — A Boston police officer recently indicted in a fatal Roxbury shooting pleaded not guilty to voluntary manslaughter during a court appearance Thursday.
Officer Nicholas O’Malley was formally charged by a grand jury last month in connection with the death of Stevenson King Jr. He appeared in Suffolk Superior Court to face the charge as the case moves forward.
Prosecutors allege that O’Malley fired three shots during the incident, with at least one proving fatal while he was responding to a reported carjacking in Roxbury in March.
According to prosecutors, King showed his hands during the encounter but then backed into a police cruiser. They claim O’Malley made a remark about shooting before opening fire, arguing the use of force was not justified.
“Mr. O’Malley was not acting in reasonable defense of either himself, the other officer, or the general public,” prosecutor Ian Polumbaum said in court. “The shooting was excessive and that’s what brings us here.”
O’Malley’s defense attorney, David Yannetti, pushed back on that version of events, calling it incomplete. The defense argues King had acted violently before the shooting, including allegedly punching a woman, stealing her car, and crashing into a police cruiser while ignoring commands from officers.
“He had no regard for human life that day,” said Yannetti, who helped represent Karen Read during her two murder trials. “But Nick O’Malley did. It is his job to protect and serve the public and to make sure that his fellow officer is safe as well. And this man left him no choice.”
Yannetti said he expects body camera footage of the shooting to be presented in court.
As part of his release conditions, O’Malley has been ordered to surrender his firearms and have no contact with civilian witnesses.
He is due back in court on July 23.
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