An Alabama judge heard conflicting testimonies about body camera footage showing the moments before a police officer fatally shot an armed Black man outside his home. The case brings up tough legal questions, especially in states with “stand your ground” laws and widespread gun ownership.
Mac Marquette, 25, is facing a murder charge for shooting Steve Perkins just before 2 a.m. on Sept. 29, 2023, while Marquette was helping a tow-truck driver repossess Perkins’ truck outside his Decatur, Alabama, home.
The body camera footage shown in court seemed to support officers’ accounts that Perkins pointed a gun at Marquette. However, an expert on law enforcement said Marquette might have had other options to avoid a violent situation. The central question in court is whether Marquette can be protected from prosecution under Alabama’s “stand your ground” law, which gives immunity to anyone who uses deadly force when they reasonably believe they are in danger while in a place they have a right to be.
“Stand your ground” laws, which became more prominent after the 2012 fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, have sparked national debates about race, gun laws, and self-defense. Over 30 states have some version of the law, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Marquette was one of three officers called to help Caleb Combs, who had reported Perkins for allegedly pointing a gun at his chest when Combs tried to repossess Perkins’ truck. Combs, who had permission from the creditor to take the truck, said he didn’t want to go back alone.
When Combs returned with his tow-truck, the officers were out of Perkins’ view. Marquette and another officer, Joey Williams, stood at the side of the house. The body camera footage shows a beam from Perkins’ gun, which some experts believe indicates Perkins pointed the gun at Combs.
As Combs tried again to repossess the truck, Marquette rounded the corner, and Perkins allegedly pointed the gun at him. Marquette shouted “Police, get on the ground” before firing around 17 shots, killing Perkins. Some of the footage, however, seems to show Perkins attempting to raise his arms, possibly in surrender, just before Marquette shot him.
Perkins didn’t fire his weapon, but investigators found that his gun had a “depressed trigger,” suggesting that the weapon was ready to fire, though it was empty.
During an interview, Marquette told investigators, “That was the most scared I’ve ever been.” Despite his fear, law enforcement expert Jamie King said the officers’ belief that Perkins was going to use deadly force was reasonable, but he also questioned why they were even there in the first place. King pointed out that there were other ways officers could have handled the situation to avoid a confrontation.
Alabama law doesn’t require a court order for a creditor to repossess a vehicle, but if there’s a “breach of the peace,” police can’t assist without one. Both Officer Mukkadam and Officer Williams testified that they weren’t helping with the repossession but were simply providing a “civil escort” to keep the peace. All witnesses agreed that there was a breach of peace during the first attempt to seize the truck.
King testified that the officers went beyond their duties because they didn’t have a court order allowing them to assist with the repossession. He added that officer presence could have been more visible to de-escalate the situation.
The hearing comes after two years of protests and community unrest in northern Alabama, where Perkins’ death sparked local controversy. Perkins’ wife and mother left the courtroom as the body camera footage played. The room was packed with over 100 people, with some wearing “back the blue” shirts behind Marquette, and others wearing shirts that read “#IAmStevePerkins” in support of Perkins’ family.
