African American cops moonlighting as marshals allegedly kill white 6-year-old

“The killing of an innocent 6-year-old white child by black police officers continues to be ignored by the major news outlets, the Obama administration, the Justice Department and the race-hustlers.”

Two African American police officers were arrested on Saturday for allegedly shooting and killing a 6-year-old boy, who is white, as well as wounding the boy’s father in Marksville, Louisiana, according to the Louisiana State Police on Saturday.

The two police officer, Norris Greenhouse Jr. and Derrick Stafford, 32, who were moonlighting as marshals during the incident were arrested by the Louisiana State Police. Both African American officers are charged with second-degree murder in the killing of the child and attempted second-degree murder for shooting the boy’s father.

“We took some of the body cam footage. I’m not gonna talk about it, but I’m gonna tell you this. It is the most disturbing thing I’ve seen and I will leave it at that,” said Col. Mike Edmonson during a press conference aired on CNN, Fox News Channel and other news outlets.

While past police shootings have met with civil unrest, looting, rioting, protest marches and even top politicians and celebrities making anti-police statements, nothing has been said by the President or his administration about the child’s death.

Edmonson, who heads the State Police, said in a sorrowful tone that 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis “didn’t deserve to die like that.”  The veteran police chief refused to go into detail about his department’s investigation of the case or about the two suspects, saying he didn’t wish to jeopardize “the integrity of the case.”

“Let’s make tonight about Jeremy Mardis,” said Edmonson on Fox News. “That little boy was buckled in the front seat of that vehicle, and that is how he died.” Edmonson also praised the community of Marksville and wanted to allow them the chance to come together and heal from the tragedy. “Justice has been done tonight, but the investigation is far from over,” said Edmonson.

But not everyone is as satisfied with the case’s progress as the Louisiana police officials and political leaders. “It’s as plain as plain can be: here we have two black police officers shooting a 6-year-old white male and there is practically no national coverage, no calls for calm in the predominately white neighborhoods, and no attention from the Obama administration,” said former homicide detective Sidney Franes.

“Where’s the outrage from President Barack Obama or the Attorney General? Where’s the calls for meetings between community leaders and government officials? Did anyone find it necessary to alert the National Guard in case civil unrest turned violent in Louisiana? The answers to those questions are obvious,” noted Det. Franes.

Detectives Investigating the case claim that four city marshals, including the two suspects, were pursuing a vehicle driven by Chris Few in Marksville on Tuesday night. They claim that Mr. Few went down a dead-end street and when he reached the end of that road he quickly shifted the vehicle into reverse at which point the pursuing officers opened fire, striking him and his son, Jeremy, who was a passenger in the front seat of Few’s auto.

Few, who police said was unarmed, was wounded but survived the shooting. However, his son was killed after being struck by five shots in his head and chest.

According to the police report, the officers were working part-time as marshals and also work as Marksville, Louisiana, police officers. Norris Greenhouse also works full-time as an Alexandria City marshal.

Because the sensitivity of the case, it was turned over to the Louisiana State Police to be handled by their investigators. According to one report, 18 rounds were fired by two different officers’ service weapons. At least one of the marshals had a body camera that was recording the incident. Video from that camera was reviewed by state police detectives.

Col. Edmonson said that at this point he is prevented from showing recording taken from the police “body-cam.”  Edmonson said state police detectives spoke to witnesses, collected evidence at the crime-scene, examined the body camera footage, and listened to 911 call at which time they contacted a criminal court judge to sign an arrest warrant, according to the Fox News story aired on Saturday evening.

While he gave few details about the case, Col. Edmonson did state during the press conference “that as a father, much less the head of the State Police, [the shooting of the child] is extremely disturbing, and it is partly why we’re here tonight with these charges.”

Evidence reports are expected to be completed next week. Edmonson stressed that the State Police would be methodical in its investigation. He said there would not be any more press conferences moving forward unless new information was found.

“Nothing is more important than this badge that we wear on our uniform, the integrity of why we wear it,” said Col. Edmonson. “Because the public allows us to wear that. It’s not a right, it’s a privilege.”