‘A political stunt’: Councilman Hunter Pepper responds to subpoena

Archie Snowden
·2 min read
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DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) – Decatur City Councilman Hunter Pepper is responding for the first time after being subpoenaed to appear in court.

The subpoena is related to next week’s gag order hearing in former officer Mac Bailey Marquette’s murder case.

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Marquette is set to go on trial later this year in connection to the shooting death of Stephen Perkins during a vehicle repossession. 

“I believe that the DA in this situation is pulling a political stunt,” said Pepper.

Morgan County prosecutors subpoenaed 14 police officers, three Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officers, and Pepper, just days after conservative Alabama website “1819 News” released what appears to be body camera footage from the night of the shooting death of Perkins in September.

The councilman says he is not pleased about being the only city councilman to receive a subpoena from the Morgan County district attorney.

Pepper has been the only Decatur City Council member to publicly support the Decatur City police and has defended their actions following the shooting death of Perkins.

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“I am curious to know what he is trying to get out of me by only subpoenaing me,” Pepper explained. “The district attorney believes that I have information, along with the other individuals that were subpoenaed, and that we are going to either stand and give out the information that we have, or something along those lines.”

Pepper told News 19 that because he supports the department, he believes that DA Scott Anderson thinks that he and the other ranking city law enforcement officials have information on how 1819 obtained a copy of the video.

“I think that everybody is hurting no matter what side you stand on in this situation, but unfortunately, I think this is turning very political,” said Pepper.

A Morgan County circuit imposed a temporary gag order in the case on March 22 and set the hearing for Monday, April 8.

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