Trial begins for officer charged with abusing Indian man
Source: Associated Press
Trial begins for officer charged with abusing Indian man
Associated Press
By JAY REEVES
10 hours ago
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Attorneys questioned potential jurors Tuesday in the trial of an Alabama police officer charged with using excessive force against an Indian grandfather who was visiting his family near Huntsville. Attorneys and a judge asked about 55 potential jurors whether they know anyone in the case. No one did. Also, no one said they've already made up their mind about the guilt or innocence of Madison police officer Eric Parker.
Parker is charged with violating the civil rights of 58-year-old Sureshbhai Patel (suh-RESH'-beye pah-TEL'), who was staying with his son near Huntsville in February and was walking in the suburban neighborhood when police received a call about a suspicious person walking in the area. Patel was thrown down and partially paralyzed during the confrontation.
Court officials said prospective jurors filled out questionnaires with personal information before lawyers questioned them in court to select a jury for Parker's trial. The judge dismissed four potential jurors for unstated reasons after a full day of questioning and told 50 remaining panelists to return Wednesday for final jury selection. Opening statements will follow.
Police video showed an officer struggling to communicate with the man because of language differences. After a few moments, an officer slammed Patel to the ground face-first as another officer stood by. "He don't speak a lick of English," one of the officers said afterward.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/trial-set-officer-charged-abusing-indian-man-090705582.html
= new reply since forum marked as read
Trial Begins For Alabama Officer In Encounter That Paralyzed Indian Man
By Brakkton Booker • 9 hours ago
[font size=1]
Chirag Patel helps his father, Sureshbhai Patel, out of the car as they arrive outside the federal courthouse before
start of a trial against Madison, Ala., police officer Eric Sloan Parker.
Brynn Anderson AP
[/font]
Originally published on September 1, 2015 8:24 pm
. . .
According to local news site AL.com, Patel's injuries required emergency surgery, and he remains partially paralyzed.
"Parker and other officers approached Patel, who was taking a walk on the morning of Feb. 6 near his son's Hardiman Place Lane home, after a neighbor called police to report a suspicious "skinny black guy" walking in the neighborhood. Patel, who spoke little English, was walking on the public sidewalk when the officers arrived.
"Dash cam footage shows Parker and another policeman approach Patel. Parker, while holding the older man's arms behind his back, is seen slamming Patel face-first into the ground and falling on top of him."
. . .
"Parker's actions deprived the man in Madison of his right under the U.S. Constitution to be secure from unreasonable seizures, which includes the right to be free from unreasonable force by someone acting under color of law," according to a March Justice Department press release.
Patel had been in the U.S. for a couple of weeks helping to care for his new grandson when he was stopped by two officers.
More:
http://wunc.org/post/trial-begins-alabama-officer-accused-excessive-force#stream/0
I hope he goes to jail for a long time.
