Boy buried after police shooting
MARKSVILLE, La. — A Louisiana man lay wounded in the hospital as his 6-year-old son was laid to rest, both victims of a shooting authorities say was carried out by two law enforcement officers who now face charges.
A police body camera recorded the father, Chris Few, with his hands up and posing no threat as police fired into his car, severely wounding Few and killing his son, the man’s lawyer said.
“This was not a threatening situation for the police,” said Mark Jeansonne, an attorney for Chris Few, who remained hospitalized and could not attend Monday’s funeral of his son, Jeremy Mardis.
Few’s condition was improving Monday, but as of midday, he had not been told that his son is dead, Jeansonne said.
The officers, Derrick Stafford, 32, and Norris Greenhouse Jr., 23, were ordered held on $1 million bonds on second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder charges during a hearing, Jeansonne said.
The lawyer said he hasn’t seen the body camera video himself, but its contents were described during the hearing. Louisiana’s state police chief, Col. Mike Edmonson, said Friday that “it’s the most disturbing thing I’ve seen — and I will leave it at that.”
Greenhouse is the son of a top assistant prosecutor for District Attorney Charles A. Riddle, who recused himself from the case, calling it “not good for any of us.”
Judge William Bennett set the officers’ bond during a hearing he held inside the jail after refusing news media requests to open the proceedings. No transcripts were made available, and the judge later issued a sweeping gag order prohibiting anyone involved in the case, including potential witnesses and victims, from providing any information to the media.
