A former Decatur police officer has been indicted in the death of Stephen Perkins, Morgan County District Attorney Scott Anderson announced on Friday.

Bailey Marquette was indicted on a murder charge.

Marquette, 23 of Hartselle, was taken into custody Thursday by Sheriff Ron Puckett at the Morgan County Jail, the sheriff’s office announced. He was booked on $30,000 bond.

“This was not an easy thing to do. It was not easy for the grand jury and it was not easy for me,” Anderson said.

Anderson said the 18 member grand jury was a “good representation of Morgan County, consisting of wight men, 10 women, 15 of them white, and three Black, and ranging in age from 30 to 78.

“They come from all walks of life. There’s retirees, professionals, plants workers, there was a stay-at-home mom, members of the clergy, nurses and teachers,” Anderson said.

“They were from all over Morgan County…and they were charged with a very tough task and they rose to that occasion. They all took an oath to seek the truth and do justice and to show no partiality or favor between the powerful and the weak, the rich and the poor,” Anderson said.

Anderson said he is not releasing body camera footage.

“Our community as a whole has suffered,” Anderson said. The shooting has prompted multiple protests.

Three other officers fired or suspended by Decatur and named in a federal lawsuit, Christopher Mukkadam, Joey Williams, and Vance Summers, were not indicted. The officers have appealed those actions by the city, as has Marquette.

Anderson said the grand jury found the other three officers did not violate the law. “I agree completely,” Anderson said.

“I understand fully that there are some of our community that think there should have been more than officer charged in this situation. There’s also some who think that no one who should have been charged,” Anderson said.

Only the grand jury know all the facts of the case, Anderson said.

On the night of his Sept. 29 death, police have said, Perkins had a gun and threatened a tow truck driver who was trying to repossess his vehicle. The tow truck driver left but returned later with police, who shot and killed Perkins, a 39-year-old husband, father, and gym enthusiast.

Perkins’ family has continued to demand justice and sued the city, the officer involved in his death, the tow truck company, and the vehicle finance company.

The federal lawsuit alleges excessive force, wrongful death, civil rights violations, and unfair debt collection practices.

This is a developing story and will be updated.