High-profile Read attorney representing officer in Boston police shooting case

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A high-profile attorney who represented Karen Read during her case is now defending Boston Police Officer Nicholas O’Malley, who was charged with manslaughter after a fatal shooting in March in Roxbury.

Boston attorney David R. Yannetti, a member of Read’s defense team during both trials, recently joined O’Malley’s legal team as he awaits a probable cause hearing, according to court documents and a statement from the law firm. Last year, Read was found not guilty of murder in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe.

O’Malley, 33, was charged in Roxbury District Court roughly a week after fatally shooting Stephenson King, 39, of Dorchester, during an alleged carjacking on the night of March 11, court documents say.

According to the police report, officers responded around 9:43 p.m. on March 11 to 1590 Tremont St. for a report of a carjacking. Soon after, O’Malley and another officer, Todd Ho, spotted the car at 10 Linwood Square and confronted King, who was in the driver’s seat.

When King tried to drive away, O’Malley said he fired his gun because he thought his partner was about to be run over, according to the report. However, investigators said that body-worn camera footage and witness statements contradict this claim. The footage has not been released.

King was taken by ambulance to Boston Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 10:24 p.m., the report said. An autopsy later determined he had been struck by three bullets.

O’Malley was charged with voluntary manslaughter on March 19, drawing criticism from law enforcement officers and their supporters. He pleaded not guilty and was released following his arraignment.

The New England Police Benevolent Association, a local law enforcement union, released a statement “standing in solidarity” with O’Malley and members of the Boston Police Department.

O’Malley is slated for a probable cause hearing on May 21, according to court documents.

“The decision to charge Officer O’Malley with a crime, rather than to acknowledge that his actions occurred during a life-or-death situation, sends a clear message to our police officers that this district attorney’s office does not care about their lives or safety,” Yannetti’s firm said.

King’s family has retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, whose previous clients include the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery.

“Stephenson King Jr. should be alive today. His family is now forced to carry the pain of a loss that should never have happened. The arrest and arraignment of the officer who killed him speaks volumes about the gravity of this case,” Crump’s firm said in a statement. “This family deserves the full truth, real accountability, and justice that is not delayed or denied. We will not stop fighting until they get it.”

Reporting by Bailey Allen, USA TODAY NETWORK – New England / Cape Cod Times

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