DECATUR – The appeal hearings of four officers who were disciplined by the Decatur Police Department following the shooting death of Steve Perkins, scheduled to begin next week, have been postponed.

The officers were terminated or suspended after an investigation into the shooting of Perkins, who was gunned down in the middle of the night outside his home following a dispute with a tow truck driver.

The city personnel board confirmed Thursday that a joint petition from Sgt. Vance Summers and officers Joey Williams, Mac Bailey Marquette and Chris Mukadam requesting the delay was granted.

“The Personnel Board carefully considered the basis for the request, found it to be reasonable, and agreed to grant the request,” the city said in a statement.

No reason was given for the postponement.

The statement further read, “The Personnel Board must be notified in writing by no later than end of day July 24, 2024 of the parties’ intent to pursue the Appeal Process or the Board will consider the matter closed, and the disciplinary actions imposed will continue to remain enforced without further review.”

Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling fired three officers and suspended the fourth in December. Marquette was indicted for murder by a Morgan County grand jury Jan. 4.

Protests followed the incident, including a march across the Tennessee River bridge to Decatur City Hall, because some residents felt the city wasn’t being transparent and moving too slow in its investigation.