Former Huntsville Police Officer William Darby sentenced to 25 years

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - Former Huntsville Police officer William Darby was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the murder of Jeffery Parker.

Darby was convicted for the 2018 murder Jeffery Parker. He was found guilty of the crime in May of this year.

Several people took the stand Friday to talk about Darby and his character. Many said he was a man of conviction and a role model to many. When his wife took the stand, she tearfully pleaded with the judge, asking her not to put her husband away for a long time as she knew he could be facing life in prison.

Darby took the stand himself saying, “I love deeply and I care about others and I’m asking you to take that into consideration today.”

The District Attorney’s Office recommended the 25-year sentence, and that’s what the judge agreed to. Darby’s attorneys also promised to file an appeal.

Jeffery Parker’s family and attorney held a press conference following the hearing. You can watch the full video below.

WAFF’s Nolan Crane and Caroline Klapp are live-tweeting from the courthouse:

Darby’s trial is one many people all around the country have been following. Many residents are upset Darby stayed on the city payroll after his guilty conviction. Darby resigned from the department less than a month ago. WAFF received records from the city of Huntsville showing Darby’s pay stubs after he was convicted.

Based on those two months post-conviction, he received a little over $1,600 a month while on leave. Regarding Darby’s final payments, the City of Huntsville sent WAFF the following:

As of August 19, all payments have been processed, which exhausts the $125,000 approved by City Council. Total payments include:

Robert Tuten $ 92,007.57

Tactical Science $ 7,319.96

Billy Ware & Associates $ 25,672.47

We will update you on-air and online as we learn more.

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