MARKSVILLE, La. — A judge in Louisiana refused Thursday to lower the $1 million bond that he had set for a deputy city marshal charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a 6-year-old boy.
State District Judge William Bennett said it would be “totally unreasonable” to reduce Derrick Stafford’s bond to approximately $150,000, the amount suggested by his defense lawyer. Bennett ruled after hearing testimony from several witnesses during Stafford’s bond-reduction hearing.
Stafford and a second deputy city marshal, Norris Greenhouse Jr., were indicted Dec. 10 on charges of second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder. They are scheduled to be arraigned on Jan. 5.
Police say the two Marksville deputy marshals opened fire on a car driven by Chris Few, killing his son, Jeremy Mardis, and critically wounding Few on the night of Nov. 3. Mardis had five gunshot wounds and his father had two, according to police.
