A Mobile judge has determined that prosecutors have gathered enough evidence to move forward with a murder case tied to a fatal stabbing on Gaston Street, clearing the way for the case to be presented to a Mobile County grand jury.
The stabbing took place in June in the 300 block of Gaston Street. The victim, Reginald Allen, later died from his injuries.
James Marshall has been identified as the suspect in the case. With the judge’s ruling that probable cause exists, the decision on whether Marshall will face formal murder charges now rests with a grand jury, which will review the evidence gathered by investigators and prosecutors to decide whether an indictment is warranted.
A preliminary hearing like the one held in this case is a routine early step in Alabama’s criminal justice process for serious felony charges. Prosecutors are required to show a judge there is probable cause to believe a crime occurred and that the accused is connected to it before the case can advance. That threshold is lower than the standard needed for a conviction at trial, meaning the ruling is not a determination of guilt but simply a signal that the case has enough weight to proceed.
It will now be up to the Mobile County grand jury to decide whether to indict Marshall in connection with Allen’s death. Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public, and it is not yet clear when the panel will take up the case.
Authorities have not released additional details about what led to the confrontation on Gaston Street or Marshall’s relationship, if any, to Allen. This story will be updated as the case moves through the Mobile County court system.