Northampton man to go on trial for 2021 murder

Steven J. Malloy appears in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton.

Steven J. Malloy appears in Hampshire Superior Court in Northampton. GAZETTE FILE PHOTO

By ALEXANDER MACDOUGALL

Staff Writer

Published: 10-10-2024 5:05 PM

NORTHAMPTON — Opening arguments in the trial of a city man accused of murder in 2021 are set to begin on Tuesday, as selection of the 12 jurors for the case wrapped up in Hampshire Superior Court on Thursday.

Steven Malloy, 35, of Northampton, was charged with murder following the shooting death of Joseph Filio of Pittsfield. Filio was killed at an apartment at Randolph Place in December 2021. Police responded quickly to the scene, and witnesses there gave a description of the gunman, who police recognized as Malloy. Fillio was taken by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Malloy was confronted a short time later by a Smith College campus security officer who spotted him after a be-on-the-lookout went out to area emergency personnel. Northampton police arrived and subdued Malloy after he didn’t comply with their demands.

Since being charged with murder, Malloy has fired two public defenders assigned to represent him. His third attorney, Joseph Perullo, has filed several motions to dismiss, suppress or strike evidence related to the case.

During a jury selection session on Thursday, Perullo asked prospective jurors their views on firearms regulation and if they had any strong opinions on that issue. Multiple jurors responded that they did, with one saying she had a child in elementary school and grew up in Highland Park, Ill., where a mass shooting occurred in 2022.

Though those jurors were ultimately excused, Judge James Manitsas criticized Perullo for suggesting a person’s views on mass shootings or illegal firearm possession would make them unable to serve on a jury.

“A person should have an adverse reaction to an illegal act,” Manitsas said. “I don’t find that to be disqualifying for a juror.”

The trial is expected to last several weeks.

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