Boston DA Ordered to Explain Withholding Police Shooting Video

State public records division demands justification for denying access to body cam footage of fatal incident.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 11:41pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of shattered glass from a car window, the surface reflecting a harsh, direct flash of light, conceptually representing the investigation into a police shooting incident.The withholding of body camera footage in a fatal police shooting has heightened public scrutiny over transparency and accountability.Boston Today

The Massachusetts Division of Public Records has ordered the Suffolk County District Attorney's office to explain why it is withholding police body camera footage of the officer-involved shooting death of Stephenson King, a 39-year-old Dorchester man. King was fatally shot on March 11 in Roxbury after allegedly accelerating a stolen vehicle toward officers. In a rare move, the officer who shot King, Nicholas O'Malley, was charged with manslaughter, with the DA citing evidence that contradicted O'Malley's account. Despite calls for transparency from King's family and Boston city councilors, the DA has refused to release the body cam video, prompting a public records appeal and the state's order to justify the denial.

Why it matters

The case has raised concerns about police use of force and transparency, with the unusual manslaughter charge against the officer adding to the public interest. The withholding of the body cam footage has further fueled calls for accountability and the release of evidence in officer-involved shootings.

The details

Stephenson King, 39, of Dorchester, was fatally shot by Boston police Officer Nicholas O'Malley on March 11 in the Roxbury neighborhood. Police say King was driving a stolen vehicle and accelerated toward officers in an attempt to flee, leading O'Malley to open fire, striking King three times through the driver's side window. King was transported to a hospital where he later died. Two Boston police officers were also treated for injuries sustained in the incident. In a rare move, O'Malley was charged with manslaughter, with District Attorney Kevin Hayden citing evidence that contradicted the officer's account of the shooting. However, Hayden has refused to release the body camera footage, citing the ongoing investigation.

  • The incident occurred on March 11, 2026 in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston.
  • The state's public records division ordered the DA's office to explain the video withholding on April 16, 2026.

The players

Stephenson King

A 39-year-old man from Dorchester who was fatally shot by a Boston police officer on March 11, 2026.

Officer Nicholas O'Malley

A Boston police officer who was charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of Stephenson King.

District Attorney Kevin Hayden

The Suffolk County District Attorney who has declined to release body camera footage of the incident, citing the ongoing investigation.

Michelle Wu

The Mayor of Boston who has stated the body camera footage is subject to public records law and will eventually be released.

5 Investigates

A news team that filed a public records request for the body camera footage immediately after the incident, which was denied by both the Boston police and the District Attorney's office.

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What they’re saying

“It is a matter of, at what point in the legal process is that appropriate to happen, given the active investigation.”

— Michelle Wu, Mayor of Boston

What’s next

The District Attorney's office has been ordered by the state's public records division to explain why the body camera footage cannot be released, with a decision pending on whether the video will be made public.

The takeaway

This case highlights ongoing tensions over police transparency and accountability, with the unusual manslaughter charge against the officer adding to public scrutiny. The withholding of body camera footage has further fueled calls for the release of evidence in officer-involved shootings.