Officer seeks to clear his name after jury drops charges of excessive force vs. Indian elder

Sureshbhai Patel was partially paralyzed after the takedown by police officer Eric Parker. He is now able to walk.

Reprinted from AsAm News

A HEARING will be held to determine if an Alabama police officer should be able to keep his job following accusations he unnecessarily roughed up a South Asian grandfather and left him partially paralyzed, reports AL.com.

The case against Eric Parker gained national attention when the incident was caught on video (after a neighbor reported a "suspicious" man).

The Madison Police Chief has recommended that Parker be fired for his treatment of Sureshbhai Patel.

Two federal juries, however, were unable to reach a verdict in the bias case against him and last Thursday the state decided to drop misdemeanor charges against Parker.

“This decision illustrates how difficult it is to hold law enforcement officers accountable under the criminal laws for brutal acts that would send an ordinary citizen to jail,” wrote Hank Sherrod, Patel’s attorney, said in a statement.

“If the State will not even try to get a conviction when an act of police brutality is caught on video,” he asked, “what chance is there for other victims?”

RELATED: Alabama officer goes to trial for third time for abusing Indian elder

Parker is anxious to clear his name, although his attorney says he’s uncertain whether his client wants to return to the Madison Police Department. He described his client as relieved.

Meanwhile, the family is pursuing a civil lawsuit against Parker.

More than a year after the incident, Chirag Patel’s voice still cracks when discussing what happened to his father.

“Dad has improved alot, but still has a problem on the left leg,” said Chirag Patel during a recent Google Hangout organized by 18 Million Rising and South Asian Americans Leading Together. “He cannot pick up correctly. He has a tingling on his head or the tongue. He has a sleep problem, nose damage that occurred due to that incident. He is doing best that he can and he is improving. We are not looking at 100 percent recovery.”

Judge for yourself: View this dash cam video of the incident by clicking here.

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Alabama officer to go on trial a third time in assault of elder from India

Reprinted from AsAm News

MADISON Police Officer Eric Parker will stand trial again for his rough handling in last year’s incident with Sureshbhai Patel who was visiting Alabama from India to see his grandson.

WHNT reports a trial date on the state charge has been scheduled for June 8.

Two separate federal trials against Parker have ended in hung juries and the judge eventually dismissed the charge of excessive force.

The state charge of misdemeanor assault carries a jail term of one year.

Parker also faces a civil lawsuit in the case which has been delayed pending the outcome of the criminal cases.

The defense expressed confidence the state charges would be defeated.

Patel remains partially paralyzed after a leg sweep by Parker sent the grandfather’s body hard into the concrete sidewalk. The case gained notoriety after a police video of the incident became public.

Earlier this week, North Alabama Police Chief Larry Muncey was placed on administrative leave after a federal judge found him in contempt of court, reports India West. Muncey and Capt. Terrell Cook were accused of questioning colleagues who testified in the first federal trial. 

Muncey was banned from the courtroom, but then assigned one of his sergeants to monitor the case. He also ordered officers who testified in the case to submit reports to him about their testimony within 24 hours.

“South Asian communities must continue to mobilize,” said South Asian Americans Leading Together. “We must lend support to the Movement for Black Lives, which has been calling us to action on the epidemic of police violence that disproportionately affects the lives of Black men, women, children and transgender people. This month’s small victory in the case must inspire us to stay vigilant,” SAALT said about the contempt of court charges.