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Derrick Stafford: Louisiana Lieutenant Who Shot Autistic Boy Claims Self Defense

By Leigh Egan
Published on: 12:50 PST, Sep 23, 2016

Derrick Stafford, who is charged with second-degree murder last year after a police body camera captured him fatally shooting a 6-year-old boy, wants his charges dropped. In a recent court filing, Stafford said he acted in self-defense by opening fire on the boy’s father.

New York Daily News reports that Stafford, 32, former lieutenant with the Marksville Police Department, asked a judge today to throw out the second-degree murder charges against him, stemming from the death of Jeremy Mardis, an autistic boy who was riding in the passenger seat of his father’s car when he was shot and killed. Stafford stated that he, along with deputy Norris Greenhouse, Jr. (also charged with Jeremy’s death), didn’t know that a child was in the car when they opened fire.

On November 3, 2015, Stafford and Greenhouse pulled up (in different vehicles) to a car driven by Christopher Few, Jeremy’s father. Few had just pulled out of TJ’s Lounge, off of Martin Luther King Drive and Taensas Street, at around 9:30 p.m., when the two officers tried to stop him. Allegedly, Few attempted to drive past Stafford and Greenhouse. According to Stafford’s attorneys, Few ignored the officers when they told him to stop, and instead, rammed into the police cruise driven by Greenhouse.

Stafford’s lawyer indicated that both Stafford and Greenhouse withdrew their guns after Few backed up his car and again tried to ram into the officer’s vehicle.

“At this point, Stafford, out of fear for his life and that of his fellow officers, began shooting at the vehicle to prevent any further actions by Few which would put the officers in imminent danger.”

Yet, according to State Police Colonel Michael Edmonson, Stafford was arrested after investigators reviewed his body camera footage from the night in question. According to Few’s attorney, Few had his hands up in the air when the two officers began shooting at him, AP reported last year. Although Few survived the ordeal, a total of 19 shell casings were found at the scene, 14 of which came from Stafford’s gun (the remaining five shells were from Greenhouse).

Jeremy was hit four times by the officers’ bullets and died on the scene.

Prosecutors stated that Stafford was involved in a 2011 incident, when he was accused of using stun gun on two people who weren’t a threat, and for breaking a teenage girl’s arm while trying to break up a fight on a school bus.

Furthermore, Few’s fiance, Megan Dixon, who had parental rights of Jeremy, indicated that she knew Greenhouse from high school and shortly before the shooting, he messaged her on social media. Few reportedly messaged Greenhouse and told him to leave Dixon alone.

Both Stafford and Greenhouse were arrested and charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder. The body camera footage wasn’t released to the public, but Edmonson said that it was “the most disturbing thing I’ve seen.” He also added that the little boy was still buckled with a seat belt when investigators found him.

Jeremy attended Lafargue Elementary School in Effie. The school’s principal, Anita Bonnette, attended his funeral last year in Mississippi, and stated that he was always a loving, sweet boy.

“He was just a very sweet loving little boy who enjoyed being at school and enjoyed his friends.”

Meanwhile, State District Court Judge William Bennett is scheduled to hear arguments next Wednesday regarding dropping the second-degree murder charges against Derrick Stafford. Stafford’s lawyers explained the basis of the request.

“A review of the indictment by the court would show that the state does not state any allegations of fact that would satisfy the essential element of specific intent for the offenses charged whereby trier of fact could support a conviction.”

[Featured Image by George Clark/AP]

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