Current:Home > FinanceFormer Alabama police officer pleads guilty to manslaughter in shooting death of suicidal man -Wealth Nexus Pro
Former Alabama police officer pleads guilty to manslaughter in shooting death of suicidal man
View
Date:2025-04-13 19:30:00
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A former Huntsville police officer on Friday pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the 2018 shooting death of a man who was holding a flare gun to his own head.
William Darby entered a plea agreement to avoid a second trial on a murder charge in the shooting death of Jeffery Parker, news outlets reported. A jury initially convicted Darby of murder and sentenced him to 25 years in prison, but the conviction was overturned. He was set to go to trial again in December.
Madison County District Attorney Rob Broussard told WHNT-TV that the plea agreement happened after defense attorneys reached out to discuss a potential settlement. Darby, who served 20 months before his conviction was overturned, will not return to prison unless he violates the terms of his probation under his new sentence, news outlets reported.
“What he did was clearly unlawful, but it was never lost on us that what he did was during the course of his job, which is not an easy job,” Broussard told WHNT.
Darby shot Parker while responding to a call after the man phoned 911 saying he was armed and planned to kill himself.
Trial testimony indicated Darby shot Parker, who was sitting on a sofa holding a gun to his head, within seconds of entering the home. Another officer had been speaking with Parker, trying to convince him not to kill himself, when Darby entered. Video from Darby’s body camera showed Darby entered the home and told Parker three times to put the gun down before firing.
It would later be determined Parker was actually holding a flare gun that had been painted black, but there is no evidence indicating any of the officers were aware of that fact, according to an appellate court summary of the case.
veryGood! (532)
Related
- Paige Bueckers vs. Hannah Hidalgo highlights women's basketball games to watch
- Judges reject call for near ban on Hague prison visits for 3 former Kosovo Liberation Army fighters
- Idaho baby found dead a day after Amber Alert was issued, father in custody: Authorities
- US, allies in talks on naval task force to protect shipping in Red Sea after Houthi attacks
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- Jake Browning steals spotlight as Bengals stun Jaguars 34-31 in OT. Trevor Lawrence injures ankle
- Deepfake nude images of teen girls prompt action from parents, lawmakers: AI pandemic
- MLB Winter Meetings: Live free agency updates, trade rumors, Shohei Ohtani news
- Will the 'Yellowstone' finale be the last episode? What we know about Season 6, spinoffs
- Allison Williams' new podcast revisits the first murder trial in U.S. history: A test drive for the Constitution
Ranking
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- Lebanon’s Christians feel the heat of climate change in its sacred forest and valley
- Colorado coach Deion Sanders in market for 'portal QBs, plural' as transfer portal opens
- Whistleblower allegation: Harvard muzzled disinfo team after $500 million Zuckerberg donation
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- Father of slain Italian woman challenges men to be agents of change against femicide
- Jake Browning steals spotlight as Bengals stun Jaguars 34-31 in OT. Trevor Lawrence injures ankle
- Notre Dame trustees select Robert Dowd as university’s 18th president
Recommendation
IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
Virginia officials certify 2023 legislative election results, other electoral contests
Sour cream goes great with a lot of foods, but is it healthy?
AP PHOTOS: Photographers in Asia capture the extraordinary, tragic and wonderful in 2023
Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
Alicia Keys autobiographical stage musical 'Hell’s Kitchen' to debut on Broadway in spring
More bodies found after surprise eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Marapi, raising apparent toll to 23
Ford, Jeep, and Jaguar among 79,000 vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here