A former police officer was charged Monday with manslaughter in the shooting of a deli clerk last month despite his contention that the death was a tragic accident. An indictment accuses John Malik, 60, of recklessly firing a semiautomatic pistol at the victim while cashing a lottery ticket inside the deli the night of Oct. 18. Malik has told investigators that he was reaching for his pager when he accidentally dropped his holstered gun, which he was licensed to carry. As he fumbled to catch the weapon, he said, it fired and the bullet struck Manuel Chametla, an 18-year-old Mexican immigrant. At a news conference, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown noted that Malik, as a former police officer, "had 28 years experience in the handling of firearms." Despite that experience, the defendant "failed to safeguard a firearm he knew was loaded," Brown said. Malik pleaded not guilty to charges of reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide, and was released on $25,000 bail. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. [more]
- Pictured above: Noe Chametla, father of Manuel, speaks to reporters outside the Queens
District Attorney's Office, while City Councilman Hiram Monserrate listens.
- TAPE? WHAT TAPE? [more