Jury finds Shasta community member Steven King not guilty of attempted murder
King, who claimed self defense after shooting Michael Hale in April 2024, was charged with attempted murder. A jury has acquitted him of all charges related to the shooting.
Over a year ago, Steven George King fired a gun at a man who approached his mobile home at night. The shot injured Michael Hale’s right arm permanently. King was promptly charged with attempted murder among other felony charges.
Last Thursday, a Shasta County jury acquitted the 58-year-old King of all charges related to the incident, the district attorney’s office said in a social media release.
King, who pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charge on August 7, along with a charge of mayhem and several firearm charges, was acquitted after what Shasta County Superior Court records appear to document as a month-long trial and two-day deliberation.
The trial, which was originally slated to begin in February, originally faced delays over concerns regarding courtroom availability, documentation access, and finding expert witnesses. King was represented by Shasta County defense attorney Lindsay Stone.
What happened the night of the shooting?
On April 6, 2025, King shot Michael Hale in his right arm after Hale showed up unexpectedly at King’s home. King, who in recordings of that night’s 911 calls expressed fear that Hale was going to harm him, claimed self-defense. He was arrested that same night and arraigned on April 9. While King told officers that Hale did not threaten him nor did he appear to be carrying a weapon, during a preliminary hearing Stone cited a “violent history” between her client and Hale that she said justified the self defense case.
In his 911 call, King mentioned concerns over members of the State of Jefferson (SOJ) movement, saying he believed related individuals were threatening him and intended to do harm. SOJ is a secessionist movement advocating for the creation of a 51st state out of rural Northern California and Southern Oregon.
During the preliminary hearing, Hale said that the day of the shooting, he had been tagged online in a series of posts he believed were created by King. Angered by the posts, which he said included false allegations against him, Hale decided to stop by King’s home at night, after a day out with friends to “have a conversation” with King about the posts.
Hale was shot through the screen door while approaching King’s trailer home.
As a machinist, the injuries Hale suffered to his right arm have significantly impeded his ability to work, according to statements he made during the preliminary hearing. In a separate legal action, he attempted to sue the county for failing to disarm King, who he said was under a restraining order that prohibited him from owning firearms. The civil suit alleged negligence and vicarious liability against law enforcement officials for both the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office and Redding Police Department.
That suit was dismissed on March 27, though Hale has appealed the ruling, according to Shasta County Superior Court records. The case is now pending before the appellate court.
June 9, 2026 10:50 a.m.: We have updated the title and corrected a date and date reference.
Do you have a correction to share? Email us: editor@shastascout.org.
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The arm shot, although disappointing on the surface, likely delivered a blow to militias by impeding the machining of parts to convert semi automatics to full automatics. At least temporarily.
King, in the condition he is, has been through hell with these monsters on his back. I hope the compassionate community, whats left of it, can somehow show him some Love. (Just call first)
Also, he needs a pistolgrip Mossberg 12g and a hacksaw…Doh!
Thank you, Shasta Scout. This was an important community issue.
Zapata, Lane and company started this mess, continued it, whipped their minions into a frenzy and then stepped back and hide in the corner when push comes to shove. Then they wear this incident like a badge to honor.
Along with the SC Sheriff’s Office lack of action while Mr King faced horrible harassment, there are many of us in the community that Zapata made harassing/threatening comments on video, made unsolicited phone calls (that was my experience) and no one in law enforcement was holding him to account.
One of the biggest failures of American democracy is the 2nd Amendment. It was supposed to be a hedge against tyranny. It could be argued (and has been) that the enormous toll in human lives we suffer from gun violence (including school mass shootings) is the price we have to pay to stay free.
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The problem is that nearly all the gun-humpers in America are authoritarians, like these militia inflamed rectums whose moral reasoning never rises above might-makes-right, and who think intimidation is their best political tool because persuasiveness and past results fail them again and again. Some of them openly pine for civil war because “we have all the guns.” They don’t want a fight. They want a tribal cleansing, like the Hutus slaughtering the Tutsis.
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I don’t necessarily condone King’s actions in shooting Hale, nor many of his bizarre statements (he’s clearly not 100% right, mentally) prior to the militia guys terrorizing him at his residence, but I do appreciate the message he sent: The fight you get isn’t going to be as asymmetrical as the easy purge you dream of, fascists.
The smaller the penis, the larger the gun. Magafascism has taken all 3 branches of government and rule of law has lost all meaning.
Now even a Democrat with a dodenkopf is electable. Get out while you can.
This was an absolute local militia hit gone sour… As you well know there is VIDEO of Richard Gallardo coming to Kings trailer threatening “Dead man” and “We’ll come back, you understand?” including a picture of Gallardo saying this at his trailer window. Photos of Militia members Jesse Lane / Carlos Zapattaoutside Steven King’s mobile home in the spring of 2023. Text message proven to be from militia member Carlos Zapata: “Consider yourself dead.” They came at night to literally shake his home while he’s inside. Threats by Lane and Zapata ‘We’ll burn you alive in your tiny little trailer.’… VIDEO of Carlos Zapata saying , “He always backtracks,” said Zapata after one of the show’s guests said King apologized for previous comments.
“Especially if you show up at his house,” said a smirking Woody Clenenden, Cottonwood Militia leader.
“Yeah, we might have paid him a visit,” said a smiling Zapata.
The men laughed. “His landlady, and some neighbors, all of whom he was sure would be willing to go on the record to tell about not just that night, but other encounters.
I understand Militia members / Shasta County Supervisors Chris Kelstrom and Patrick Jones even went to one of his court dates.
Absolute hypocrisy from the Cottonwood / Palo Cedro members believing the Second Amendment guarantees the right of citizens to possess firearms for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense, particularly within the home only applies to them… He could of, in fear for his life im sure, blown Michael Hale’s head clean off and been acquitted.
https://anewscafe.com/2023/09/19/redding/far-right-leaders-terrorize-far-left-man-well-burn-you-alive-in-your-tiny-little-trailer/