x
Breaking News
More () »

Steve Perkins Shooting: Decatur officer charged with murder after Grand Jury indictment

DA Scott Anderson said former officer Mac Bailey Marquette has been charged with murder for the shooting of Steve Perkins.

The Associated Press, FOX54 News

Play Video

Close Video

Published: 9:25 PM CST January 4, 2024
Updated: 9:06 PM CST January 5, 2024

Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson said former Decatur officer Mac Bailey Marquette has been charged with murder for the shooting death of Steve Perkins. Anderson says Marquette was arrested. Marquette will be formally arraigned and enter his plea as in any other criminal case. Court records did not immediately indicate if Marquette has an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Anderson says body camera footage has been made available to the family if they choose to see it. He says he is not releasing the body camera footage to the public to avoid the chance of influencing the jury pool. Marquette has been cited in complaint documents as the officer who fired the fatal shots.

The Decatur Police Department said in September that officers came to Perkins' home after a tow truck driver reported that Perkins flashed a gun when he was attempting to repossess a vehicle.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said in an initial news release that Perkins was armed with a handgun equipped with a light and “brandished the weapon towards an officer with the Decatur Police Department, causing the officer to fire at Perkins.” ALEA, which completed its own investigation of the incident, handed its findings over to the DA's office last week.

An attorney for Perkins’ family has said officers essentially ambushed Perkins as he came out of his home and that Perkins did not seem aware of their presence. The family said the truck payments were up to date, which is likely why he was disputing it being towed.

It was not made clear in Friday's announcement if police claims Perkins was armed were corroborated or disproved by the evidence the grand jury saw. Anderson declined to answer questions related to evidence in the case.

Marquette was released on $30,000 bond, according to court records.

Before You Leave, Check This Out