Description of body camera video of fatal shooting of Jeremy Mardis

 

    On Nov. 3, 2015, at approximately 2120 hours (9:20 p.m.), Norris Greenhouse (Jr.), a Marksville Ward 2 deputy city marshal, while on duty and acting in his official capacity, engaged in a vehicle pursuit of a 2000 Kia Sport, bearing Mississippi license FCU100. Marksville Ward 2 deputy city marshals Jason Brouillette and Derrick Stafford were also on duty and acting in their official capacity, engaged in the vehicle pursuit in a second Marksville Ward 2 City Marshal’s unit.

    The fleeing vehicle being pursued was operated by Christopher Few (W/M, DOB 04/21/1990) and was also occupied by Few’s 6-year-old son, Jeremy Mardis (W/M, DOB 08/14/2009), who was sitting in the front passenger seat. 

    Marksville City Police Sgt. Kenneth Parnell III responded to assist the pursuing units and got behind the pursuit as the vehicles turned from Preston Street onto Martin Luther King Jr. Street.

   Sgt. Parnell followed the pursuit and activated his body camera. As the pursuit appeared to be ending, with a very little avenue of escape, at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Taensas Street, Deputy City Marshal Greenhouse, along with Deputy City Marshal Stafford, exitedtheir units and discharged their duty weapons towards the 2000 Kia Sport vehicle. The vehicle, Mr. Few and his son were struck by multiple gunshots fired by the deputy city marshals.

   As a result of Deputy City Marshal Greenhouse’s and Deputy City Marshal Stafford’s actions, Mr. Few was critically wounded by two gunshot wounds. Mr. Few’s 6-year-old son received five gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

   Video obtained by the body camera worn by Marksville Police Sgt. Kenneth Parnell III captured the officer-involved shooting. The length of the video is approximately 13 minutes and 47 seconds.

   Upon my review of the body camera video, at approximately 26 seconds into the video, the driver, Christopher Few’s empty hands are raised and visible when gunfire becomes audible.

   An examination of the duty weapons obtained from the deputy city marshals Greenhouse, Stafford and Brouillette, and Marksville Police Sgt. Parnell, were conducted by Louisiana State Police Crime Lab analysts. Crime Lab analysis revealed all spent casings recovered at the scene were fired from the duty weapons of Deputy City Marshals Norris Greenhouse and Derrick Stafford.

   During Sgt. Parnell’s interview with Louisiana State Police detectives, he stated he didn’t fire his weapon because he didn’t fear for his life.