SIOUX CITY, Iowa (Iowa Media Wire) — After entering an Alford plea, a Battle Creek man has received his sentencing for a shooting in March.
According to court documents, Derek Mefferd, 45, was sentenced to 45 days in jail for a shooting that occurred on March 20, 2022, in Ida County. This comes after Mefford entered an Alford Plea, which means that he asserts his innocence but will accept the judge’s sentence.
Documents showed that Mefferd allegedly got into a physical confrontation regarding a woman. The fight escalated to multiple shots being fired. When officials arrived, they found a man with a gunshot wound to his leg. The man was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries and Mefferd was arrested.
Mefford initially faced charges of attempted murder and assault while displaying a dangerous weapon. As part of his Alford plea, those charges were amended to willful injury causing bodily injury, interference with official acts while displaying a dangerous weapon, and reckless use of a firearm causing property damage.
Documents noted that he was sentenced to five years each for the amended charges. However, those sentences were suspended, and he will instead serve a three-year term of probation. He was also ordered to pay pecuniary damages.