Marquette seeks to delay trial until after ‘stand your ground’ hearing

Decatur: On January 10, Mac Marquette’s lawyers asked the court to delay his murder trial. They want to wait for a “stand your ground” immunity hearing first. This case stems from the shooting of Steve Perkins on September 29, 2023.

Marquette, a former police officer, is charged with murder after he shot Perkins, who allegedly pointed a gun at a tow truck driver. His attorneys argue that Marquette was acting in self-defense and fulfilling his duties as an officer.

However, there’s a twist. Video evidence shows that Marquette yelled at Perkins to get on the ground just seconds before firing 18 shots. This contradicts the defense’s claim that he ordered Perkins to drop his weapon first.

Decatur’s police chief even apologized for previously stating that Perkins was told to drop his gun before the shooting. The case has been pretty quiet since a gag order was put in place last May, which stopped involved parties from discussing it publicly.

After Perkins’ death, Decatur saw protests almost daily until a grand jury indicted Marquette for murder in January 2024. His trial is set for April 7, but his lawyers want to ensure he gets a fair hearing on his immunity claim first.

The “stand your ground” law allows for deadly force in certain situations, but it doesn’t apply if the person using it is acting unlawfully. If Marquette can’t prove his immunity, he can still argue self-defense during the trial.

The defense is also looking into whether any witnesses were threatened to secure their testimony. They want to know if anyone who was initially reluctant to testify was coerced by the state.

The witness list includes several Decatur police officers who were on the scene that night. Interestingly, three of them have been fired since then. The defense is pushing for transparency regarding any misconduct by state witnesses.

They also want to use a jury questionnaire to help with jury selection, arguing it’s a less intimidating way for jurors to share their backgrounds. Given the intense media coverage, they believe this is crucial.

The defense is also curious if the state plans to introduce evidence of any past similar incidents involving Marquette. They want a detailed list if that’s the case.

As the trial approaches, both sides are preparing for a complex legal battle, with many motions filed to ensure a fair process. It’s a tense situation, and everyone is watching closely to see how it unfolds.