Jury trial for Steven King case delayed, now scheduled for April 

A man charged with attempted murder after shooting a man who showed up unexpectedly at his front door nearly a year ago appeared in court today for a pretrial hearing where he learned he’ll wait two more months for his case to go to trial.

Behind glass walls in Dept. 24 where incarcerated defendants wait for preliminary hearings, Steven King could be seen with a shaved head and a mid-length gray beard, holding court documents in cuffed hands as he peered over his glasses to read.

King’s defense attorney, Lindsay Stone, asked Judge Daniel Flynn to move back his trial date — which had been scheduled for Feb. 17 — citing concerns about courtroom availability and difficulty accessing discovery documentation and expert witnesses. 

King is accused of attempted murder and other felony charges after shooting Michael Hale in an incident that occurred in April 2024 after Hale showed up unexpectedly at King’s front door. Recordings of the 911 call from that night document King’s fear that Hale and others intended to harm him. Hale was seriously injured in the shooting and lost the use of his right arm, affecting his ability to work as a machinist.

Today in court, Judge Flynn argued briefly with defense attorney Stone, saying courtroom availability is a pervasive problem that can’t be allowed to continually affect scheduling. But Stone successfully pushed back, noting that she’s not yet received the data pulled from King’s phone by the Redding Police Department using Cellebrite technology, something she said will have particular relevance in his case. She added that she’s also encountered some resistances in obtaining expert witnesses, given the political nature of the case. Before his incarceration, King was a vocal critic of the State of Jefferson movement, sending frequent group emails — typically written in all capital letters and sprinkled liberally with profanity — to local officials and the media. Supporters of Hale who showed up at a King hearing last year included Shasta Board Chair Chris Kelstrom and Anderson City Council member Darin Hale, who is not related to Michael.

Flynn agreed to push back the jury trial, which is now scheduled to begin on April 21. King will appear in court again on April 15 for his next trial readiness hearing. 

In comments to Shasta Scout after the hearing, Stone said that his case is expected to include a number of witnesses that will lengthen the trial, making scheduling more difficult.

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