By NEAL WAGNER / City Editor

A Calera man charged with robbing Pelham’s Union State Bank in January pleaded not guilty to the crime “by reason of mental disease or defect” this week, according to Shelby County Court documents.

Jimmy Dawson Cunningham Jr. was arrested on June 15 and charged with one count of first-degree robbery, and has been held in the Shelby County Jail on a $60,000 bond since his arrest. He entered the not guilty plea on Jan. 4, according to court documents.

According to Shelby County Court records, Cunningham was indicted on the robbery charge on April 8.

At about 10:15 a.m. on Jan. 14, the Pelham Police Department received a report of an alarm at the Union State Bank at 2267 U.S. 31, according to police Capt. Larry Palmer.

After responding to the scene, officers learned a white male had entered the bank, presented a note to a teller and fled the scene with an undetermined amount of cash, Palmer said.

Palmer said a weapon “was implied but never seen” during the robbery. No injuries were reported in the incident.

Cunningham is scheduled to appear in court for a hearing on Sept. 3.