03/22/2026
Statement from Attorney David E. Condon:
Louison, Costello, Condon & Pfaff, LLP (LCCP)
Boston Police Officer Nicholas O’Malley is not my client, but I represent police officers throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I am deeply troubled and outraged by the manslaughter charge filed against him in connection with the March 11, 2026, incident in Roxbury. This charge is not only legally unfounded but wildly inappropriate.
Our police officers have one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs imaginable. Every single day they respond to volatile, unpredictable situations—carjackings, fleeing suspects in stolen vehicles, and threats that can escalate in a split second. They are trained to assess danger, protect the public, and make life-or-death decisions under extreme stress, often without the luxury of hindsight or calm reflection. Officer O’Malley was doing exactly that: confronting an active carjacking suspect who was attempting to flee in a stolen vehicle. In the heat of that moment, he took action he reasonably believed was necessary based on his training, experience, and the circumstances unfolding before him.
To now charge him with manslaughter—criminalizing a split-second decision made in the line of duty—is outrageous. It ignores the realities of policing, disrespects the extraordinary risks our officers take on our behalf, and threatens to paralyze law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth. Officers cannot be expected to perform their duties effectively if every use of force will be dissected in a courtroom with perfect 20/20 hindsight and second-guessed by those who have never faced such danger. This prosecution is rushed, misguided, and sends a terrible message to every man and woman who wears the badge.
I am confident that the full facts—supported by body-worn camera footage, witness accounts, and the law governing use of force—will demonstrate that Officer O’Malley’s actions were justified. Boston’s officers, and all police officers throughout the Commonwealth, deserve our support, not scapegoating.
David E. Condon
Managing Partner
Louison, Costello, Condon & Pfaff, LLP
Boston, Massachusetts
