By Brian Livingston
blivingston@themeridianstar.com
Meridian Police Department officials charged Marcus Thornton, 28, of Marion, in connection with Friday's bank robbery in Meridian.
Thornton was placed on $250,000 bond Saturday. Another man, whose identity has not been released, was also taken into custody at the scene but Lt. James Sharpe, interim commander of the MPD's Investigative Division, said Saturday afternoon he was not charged in the bank robbery incident.
"He was charged with some misdemeanor offenses," said Sharpe. "This individual was not involved in the robbery instead he met up with Thornton later."
Thornton is accused of robbing at gunpoint the Commercial National Bank location on Hwy. 39 North on Friday afternoon. He was apprehended by Lauderdale County Sheriff's deputies in Lauderdale several minutes after the bank alarm was sounded.
MPD detectives recovered a bag thought to have contained stolen money, a semi-automatic handgun, a Halloween mask and a police scanner from Thornton's vehicle.
A preliminary hearing for Thornton will be held Monday at noon inside the Meridian Municipal Court. His case will likely go before the March grand jury for consideration.
