The Alabama cop who left an Indian grandfather paralyzed because he chose to stroll through his son’s neighborhood without knowing how to speak English is no longer facing state criminal charges.
Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange apparently figured it was pointless to proceed with assault charges against Madison police officer Eric Parker considering two federal trials resulted in two mistrials.
“After a careful review of the witness testimony included in 2,000 pages of federal trial transcripts and a re-evaluation of the evidence, we are seeking to dismiss State charges against Mr. Parker,” Strange stated in a press release today.
But all it takes is a cursory review of the dash cam video from the February 6, 2015 incident below to show Parker is another power-drunk thug of a cop.
Parker’s defenders will say that Sureshbhai Patel deserved what he got because he was walking through the neighborhood peering into garages.
But even if he was doing that, he was doing it from the public sidewalk he was walking on.
Besides, having just arrived from India to visit his family, he was probably curious at how different things are here. And probably figured he was free to do that considering how much the United States hypes its freedom to the world.
But curiosity is just another word for suspicious in the eyes of police. And freedom takes a back seat to police in this country as we learn daily.
Sureshbhai Patel had to learn how to walk again.
Parker, who was 26 years old, testified that he felt threatened by the 57 year old man.
And he gave the old spiel about fearing for his life because Patel had his hands in his pockets, which Parker called “passive resistance” – failing to see the irony in that is exactly what Gandhi practiced, who just happens to be another frail, Indian man, one who happened to preach non-violence.
Martin Luther King, Jr. also practiced passive resistance, but that was also met with violence from police in Alabama.
But unlike Gandhi and King, Patel was not even protesting. He was not out to make change.
He was just out for a stroll.
According to WHNT19:
Parker testified Patel gave indications from his behavior that he posed a threat to Parker and the officer he was training.
That included Patel repeatedly walking away from the officers when they approached to investigate possible trespassing as well as putting his hands in his pocket, described as ‘passive resistance.’
Parker told jurors he did not use a ‘leg sweep’ to ground Patel, saying when he shifted his weight to take Patel down, he lost his balance and both men fell to the ground.
Parker said Patel pulled his left hand away four times while he was trying to control them. He said the fourth time resulted in the takedown.
Parker reiterated several times throughout his testimony during prosecution’s questioning that the actions he took were in the interest of officer safety. On responding to a call about a suspicious man lurking in the neighborhood and look into garages, Parker said “I was there to investigate.”
Parker has been on paid administrative leave since the incident, but now that he is free from all charges, he will likely return to his beat to keep the neighborhoods safe from people like Patel, who arrive in this country without learning English.
“When you come to the U.S. we expect you to follow our laws and speak our language,” said (Parker’s defense attorney) Robert Tuten. “Mr. Patel bears as much responsibility for this as anyone.”
The federal judge who dismissed his case earlier this year agreed with Parker’s attorneys that Patel committed a crime by walking out of the house without identification.
However, Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey was outraged at the incident and fired Parker, but Parker appealed, which is why he is on paid leave.
And Muncey was found guilty of contempt of court when a federal judge discovered he had questioned his officers about their testimony.
Muncey sent emails demanding to know why some of his officers who were called as witnesses had testified that the takedown was within policy. Muncey, who said he had a duty as chief to correct his officers, was found guilty last month of criminal contempt of court and fined $2,500.
Muncey is now on paid administrative leave as he appeals the decision.
So to sum it up, the only person convicted from this incident was the guy who wanted to fire Parker for his actions.
The post Alabama Cop Who Paralyzed Indian Man Cleared of State Criminal Charges After Two Federal Mistrials appeared first on PINAC News.