A Louisiana law enforcement officer was convicted Friday on a lesser charge of manslaughter in a shooting that killed a 6-year-old autistic boy, a gruesome encounter captured on tape by another officer’s body camera.
(FOX)- Jurors found Derrick Stafford guilty of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter charges, multiple news outlets reported. He had faced charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder in the case.
Stafford, 33, and another deputy city marshal opened fire on a car — killing Jeremy Mardis and critically wounding his father — after a 2-mile car chase in Marksville on the night of Nov. 3, 2015.
Video from a police officer’s body camera shows the father, Christopher Few, had his hands raised inside his vehicle while the two deputies collectively fired 18 shots. At least four of those bullets tore into Jeremy, who died within minutes.
Stafford testified Friday that he shot at the car because he feared Few was going to back up and hit the other deputy, Norris Greenhouse Jr.
“I felt I had no choice but to save Norris. That is the only reason I fired my weapon,” Stafford said.