Former BPS Employee Accused of Shooting Student Fires Lawyer, Delays Trial: DA

BOSTON, MA — A former Jamaica Plain high school employee accused of shooting a student and scheduled for trial next month delayed his court date after firing his attorney, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office said Friday.

A Suffolk Superior Court judge on Thursday granted a motion to obtain new counsel for Shaun Harrison, 57, who is on trial for charges of armed assault with intent to murder and other related offenses.

On March 4, 2015, Harrison allegedly shot a 17-year-old English High School student. On Thursday, the DA's office said, Harrison’s former attorney, Michelle Brennan, was dismissed and attorney Robert Laboy was appointed to represent him.

Harrison was the “Dean of Academy” at EHS, where a BPS spokeswoman previously said he served as a family outreach coordinator.

Prosecutors have alleged that Harrison recruited the 17-year-old boy to sell marijuana. After a dispute, he allegedly used a handgun to shoot the victim in the head while walking down Magazine Street, an incident prosecutors say was captured on surveillance video. The student, who survived, reportedly identified Harrison as the shooter.

His previous Oct. 17 trial will be rescheduled on Sept. 9.

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