Derrick Stafford. Photograph: Gerald Herbert/Associated Press A Louisiana law enforcement officer was sentenced on Friday to 40 years in prison a week after a jury convicted him of manslaughter in the shooting death of a six-year-old boy with autism.
Ruth Wisher, a spokeswoman for state attorney general Jeff Landry’s office, said Stafford was sentenced to 40 years for manslaughter and 15 years for attempted manslaughter. He will serve the sentences concurrently. Stafford had faced a maximum of 60 years in prison when state district judge William Bennett sentenced him.
Stafford’s aunt, Bertha Andrews, denounced the jury’s verdict outside the courtroom on Friday, calling it a “lynching” and claiming race was a factor in the case. “If it had been two white men who killed that little baby, it would’ve been justifiable homicide.
Stafford, a Marksville police lieutenant, and Greenhouse, a former Marksville police officer, were moonlighting as deputies for the city marshal on the night of the shooting. Greenhouse, whose father is a long-time prosecutor in Marksville, resigned from the Marksville police department in 2014.
The jury found Stafford guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter. Stafford was sentenced to forty years in prison, half of which would be served "without benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence."
Lieutenant Jason Brouillette, a 13-year veteran of the Marksville Police Department, and Sergeant Kenneth Parnell, a five-year veteran, responded to the backup call made by Greenhouse and Stafford. Parnell was wearing a body camera, which recorded at least part of the incident.
Charles Riddle, the district attorney for Avoyelles Parish, recused himself from the case because Officer Greenhouse's father is an assistant district attorney in his office. The office of the attorney general of Louisiana prosecuted the cases of Greenhouse and Stafford.
Christopher Few moved from Mississippi to the Marksville area in April 2014 to work as an apprentice riverboat captain and to be closer to his relatives. He was listed in critical condition on November 3. A family spokesperson said that bullet fragments remained in Few's brain and lung. His condition improved to serious by the following morning. As of November 9, Few was hospitalized in Alexandria, Louisiana, where his condition had been upgraded to fair. He was released from the hospital on November 13. Few and Mardis shared a home with Few's mother prior to the shooting. Body-cam footage reportedly shows Few had his hands up when he was shot.
Louisiana officer gets 40 years in prison in killing of 6-year-old with autism. This article is more than 4 years old. Body-camera video shows the boy’s father had his hands raised in his vehicle while Derrick Stafford and a second officer fired 18 shots after a two-mile chase. Derrick Stafford.
Stafford had faced a maximum of 60 years in prison when state district judge William Bennett sentenced him. Video from a police officer’s body camera shows the boy’s father, Christopher Few, had his hands raised inside his vehicle while Stafford and a second deputy city marshal collectively fired 18 shots at the vehicle.
He said he shot at the car because he feared Few was going to back up and hit Greenhouse with his vehicle. Stafford said Greenhouse stumbled and fell to the ground as he tried to back away from Few’s car.
Read more. Ruth Wisher, a spokeswoman for state attorney general Jeff Landry’s office, said Stafford was sentenced to 40 years for manslaughter and 15 years for attempted manslaughter. He will serve the sentences concurrently.
Two other officers at the scene – a third deputy city marshal and a Marksville police officer – did not fire their weapons. Prosecutors said the officers weren’t in any danger and shot at the car from a safe distance.
Read more. Stafford’s aunt, Bertha Andrews, denounced the jury’s verdict outside the courtroom on Friday, calling it a “lynching” and claiming race was a factor in the case. “If it had been two white men who killed that little baby, it would’ve been justifiable homicide.
The Advocate reported that Stafford turned to look at Few during Friday’s hearing and apologized. “I have kids, man,” said Stafford, who was shackled in court and wearing an orange jumpsuit. Stafford insisted, however, that Few posed a threat and maintained he fired his weapon to stop it.