Louisiana deputy marshal convicted of manslaughter in boy's death

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

U.S. | Fri Mar 24, 2017 | 11:33pm EDT

Louisiana deputy marshal convicted of manslaughter in boy's death

By Bryn Stole | MARKSVILLE, LA

A Louisiana jury convicted a deputy marshal of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter on Friday in the killing of a 6-year-old boy during a volley of gunfire after chasing his father's car in 2015.

Derrick Stafford, 33, was found guilty by 10-2 jury vote in a Marksville, Louisiana, courtroom, more than a year after he and another deputy opened fire on Chris Few's Kia SUV after a two-mile pursuit. Few's son, Jeremy Mardis, 6, who was inside the vehicle, was shot and killed and Few was wounded.

Prosecutors argued that Stafford stood a safe distance from Few's vehicle and opened fire out of anger during the Nov. 3, 2015 incident.

Stafford "had enough and made a decision to kill a man," prosecutor John Sinquefield told jurors during closing arguments, "and in the process he killed a 6-year-old autistic boy."

Stafford is scheduled for sentencing next Friday when he faces up 60 years in prison

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-louisiana-shooting-idUSKBN16W04O

[malaise]

1. Good

I remember when that little boy was murdered by cop

[NutmegYankee]

2. Clearly a jury system based on majority versus concensus helped here.

The authoritarians couldn't hang the jury.

[Solly Mack]

3. Good.