Stafford hires appeals attorney

Derrick Stafford has retained a new attorney to handle the appeal of his manslaughter conviction and 40-year prison sentence.

Eric Santana, a Metairie attorney, said he is reviewing the case record and plans to file an appeal in the future.

“At this time there is nothing new to report,” Santana said. “I am familiarizing myself with the case and will be appealing both the conviction and the sentence imposed.”

Stafford was convicted last month of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter in connection with the Nov. 3, 2015 shooting incident in which 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis was killed and the child's father, Chris Few, was seriously wounded. Stafford was working as a Marksville City Marshal's deputy when he participating in a pursuit and traffic stop of Few at the dead-end of Martin Luther King Dr. in Marksville. Stafford and fellow deputy marshal Norris Greenhouse Jr. fired 18 bullets into the vehicle. Stafford claimed he shot in self-defense and that Few was using the vehicle as a weapon. Two other officers at the scene told investigators they never felt threatened prior to Stafford and Greenhouse shooting at Few's vehicle.