Trial date set for Decatur police officer charged with murder

Eric Fleischauer, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·1 min read

Feb. 12—Morgan County Circuit Judge Charles Elliott on Monday scheduled a Nov. 18 jury trial of former Decatur police officer Mac Bailey Marquette on the charge of murder for the fatal shooting of Steve Perkins.

A Morgan County grand jury indicted Marquette on Jan. 4. He was released on a $30,000 bond the same day.

The fatal shooting took place Sept. 29 at 1:50 a.m. in the front yard of Perkins' Southwest Decatur home, where four police officers were present while a tow truck driver was repossessing Perkins' pickup truck.

Perkins exited his home during the repossession. Neighbors' security videos show he was carrying a flashlight, which the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said was mounted to a handgun.

Two police officers emerged from the corner of his house as Perkins was objecting to the tow truck driver's repossession. Security videos show that Perkins turned toward the two officers as they for the first time identified themselves. Within two seconds, an officer fired the first of about 18 shots. According to the family, seven bullets hit Perkins.

Mayor Tab Bowling in November fired Marquette and two fellow officers and suspended another. The other officers are Sgt. Vance Summers and officers Joey Williams and Christopher Mukaddam. The officers appealed, and on Jan. 26 the Decatur Personnel Board agreed to delay their hearings for up to six months.

— eric@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2435. Twitter @DD_Fleischauer.