TRAGIC

Louisiana Police Officer Convicted of Manslaughter in 6-Year-Old Autistic Boy’s Death

In 2015 shooting that killed a six-year-old boy.

A police officer in Marksville, Louisiana was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury late Friday in a 2015 shooting that left a six-year-old autistic boy dead. Marksville deputy marshal Derrick Stafford had been indicted on charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder after he and another officer opened fire on a car in November 2015 after a car chase. The shooting left six-year-old Jeremy Mardis dead and his father, the driver, critically wounded. Police body cam footage later showed that the boy’s father, Christopher Few, had his hands raised inside the car when the officers fired. Stafford, who reportedly cried Friday when shown photos of the slain boy, said he didn’t see that Few’s hands were raised in the car and he only fired shots because he thought Few was going to back up into his partner. His partner, Norris Greenhouse Jr., also faces second-degree murder charges in a separate trial due to begin in June.