On April 3, 2018, Huntsville, Alabama police officer Ben Darby responded to a man-with-gun suicide call. When he arrived, he assessed that the two officers already there had put themselves in a dangerous situation, failing to follow protocols and training. The man who called 911, Jeffrey Parker, was in his living room, pointing a gun to his head—that he could have instantly turned on the officers who were unprotected. Officer Darby aimed his shotgun at Parker, ordering him multiple times to put his gun down. Parker didn’t, and when he made a slight move, officer Darby fired once, and killed him.
Ben Darby now sits in prison, sentenced to 25 years for murder. But there’s much more to the story than that, which is why they are appealing for a new trial. His wife, Sergeant Keelin Darby, tells Ben’s story to national media for the first time.
