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Family of Stephenson King Jr., the man killed by Boston police officer now charged with manslaughter, demands transparency
King was shot and killed by a Boston police officer in March. During a press conference on Thursday, his family called for the release of body-camera footage.
The Suffolk District Attorney’s Office still has not released officers’ body-camera footage from the March 11 fatal shooting of 39-year-old Stephenson King Jr. by a Boston police officer, leaving his family demanding answers nearly a month later.
Court documents say Officer Nicholas O’Malley confronted King in a stolen car, drew his gun, and warned, “Bro, I’m gonna f***ing shoot you,” before King tried to flee. O’Malley allegedly fired three shots through the driver’s window, killing him.
On Thursday, King’s relatives and their attorney, Ben Crump, a civil rights lawyer who has represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, stood at GRANT A.M.E. Church in the South End, calling for transparency, accountability, and the immediate release of the footage.
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“Even though he wasn’t perfect. Even though he struggled with mental illnesses, he didn’t deserve to be killed like this,” said Crump. “He did not deserve to be killed because an officer had a rush to judgment.”
Crump said releasing the video will reveal whether either King or O’Malley acted improperly, providing transparency and accountability.
“We want to help build stronger relations between law enforcement and the community so all of our children can get home safe — so they are not killed by the very people who are supposed to serve and protect,” Crump said.
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Behind Crump stood King’s father and three sisters, who were seen crying as they grieved the loss of their son and brother.
Family members spoke of how King was a “good person” who struggled with mental health issues, cycling in and out of psychiatric facilities in the state.
On the day of the shooting, family members said, he was in a paranoid state and even took him to the hospital to get help. But, he was released.
“That day I put my son in an ambulance, I wasn’t expecting him to be dead the same night,” Stephenson King Sr., his father, said. “I want justice for my son.”
Attorney for Karen Read joins officer’s defense team
On Thursday, attorney David Yannetti, the defense lawyer for Karen Read, announced that he will be representing O’Malley moving forward.
O’Malley, 33, pleaded not guilty to the charge in connection with the death and received a large gathering of support from fellow police officers in court.
A GoFundMe page set up by fellow police officers to support O’Malley, who is on paid administrative leave, has raised over $500,000.
“O’Malley (is) a good man who finds himself falsely accused of manslaughter because he performed his sworn duty and defended his fellow officers when confronted by a dangerous criminal,” Yannetti wrote in a statement.
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Yannetti wrote, “We will not rest until Officer O’Malley is rightfully acquitted.”
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