Mercutio Southall, a key organizer of the ongoing Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests in Homewood, has been arrested on arson and criminal mischief charges related to last month’s fire at the Homewood Walmart.
According to Homewood Police Sgt. Mark Trippe, "Verified evidence shows Southall attending the Black Lives Matter mass protest at the Homewood Soccer Park at approximately 11:35 AM on August 22nd. Southall is seen actively engaging and conversing with protesters at the Soccer Park. Southall then leaves the Soccer Park and travels to Walmart on Lakeshore Parkway, where he fills up a shopping cart full of rags, blankets, charcoal bags, small engine fuel, and paint thinner."
"Southall then pre-positions the shopping cart in a clothing aisle and returns to the mass protest at the Homewood Soccer Park," he added. "When the large group leaves the Soccer Park to go to downtown Homewood, Southall is seen driving back to Walmart on Lakeshore Parkway, where he facilitates the ignition of the fire inside the store, causing a mass evacuation."
"The store was closed for the remainder of the day, and Walmart reported over $130,000 in damage due to the fire," a written statement released by the Homewood Police Department explained.
The fire was started just hours after BLM protesters were once again arrested for disorderly conduct for blocking traffic while demanding the public release of bodycam footage and the name of the officer involved in the shooting of Jabari Peoples.
Peoples’ family and their attorneys have already viewed the footage. The Alabama State Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that bodycam footage is not subject to public records requests.
Prosecutors deemed the shooting justified after confirming video evidence showed Peoples resisted arrest and retrieved a firearm that he was holding at the time of his death. BLM has continued to protest in the city, despite elected officials citywide calling upon the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) to show the bodycam video to the family.
Southall was arrested and charged with first-degree arson and first-degree Criminal Mischief – 1st Degree. Following his arrest, Southall was transferred to the Jefferson County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond for the Arson – 1st Degree charge due to Aniah’s Law.
Southall has a lengthy criminal history, which includes a December 2014 arrest in Homewood at the same Walmart after refusing to leave the property during a Black Lives Matter protest.
He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in 2015. He was also arrested and convicted of possessing a firearm at a demonstration in Montgomery County in 2016.
In 2019, Southall was charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of a man at his family’s home in Birmingham. According to an AL(dot)com report in 2022, the charges were dismissed under Alabama’s Stand Your Ground law.
SEE: Jabari Peoples shooting deemed 'justified'; Evidence shows he had gun in hand
RELATED: Homewood Black Lives Matter protests continue to escalate with alleged Homewood Walmart arson
"I'm about black people," Southall told AL(dot)com in a detailed profile piece in 2015 that highlighted the Black Lives Matter movement. "I'm not racist, but I am about my people.”
Southall compared himself and his actions to those of MLK Jr. and Malcolm X, then later quoted Che Guevara. After estimating he had been Tased 30 times, he explained, "I would hope that it wouldn't happen, but in America, what can we do now without getting persecuted? What can black people do without getting persecuted or killed? Like nothing. Literally, we can do nothing."
Booking details available on the Jefferson County Jails website show that the Homewood Police Department arrested Southall on August 30.
The Homewood Police Department is working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms on pursuing federal arson charges. The investigation is still ongoing, with detectives considering pursuing charges on additional participants in the future.
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