By Staff
Leada Gore, Hartselle Enquirer
A Morgan County Grand Jury has cleared a Hartselle police officer in the October shooting of a robbery suspect outside Hometown Market.
The officer, who has not been identified, shot suspect Larry Dean Maples Oct. 20, 2006 as he attempted to leave Hometown Market after allegedly assaulting store employees in a robbery attempt. Maples held a grocery store worker hostage as he left the store and held onto her as he crossed the street to Hartselle Medical Center’s parking lot.
Maples was shot in the shoulder after crossing the street and the hostage was released unharmed. The Grand Jury found the shooting to be justified by “surrounding circumstances.
As is routine with officer shootings, the matter was turned over to the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department to investigate then a Grand Jury for its opinion.
Maples, who was out on bond for drug possession of burglary charges at the time of the incident, was treated and later released from Huntsville Hospital. He currently faces kidnapping, assault and robbery charges.