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(Reuters) – A U.S. judge declared a mistrial on Friday in the case of an Alabama policeman on trial for violating an Indian man’s rights by throwing him to the ground and injuring him badly during an encounter captured on video, local media reported.
Eric Parker, 26, was tried in federal court on accusations that he used unreasonable force while a police officer in Madison, Alabama, during the February incident.
A jury in Huntsville, Alabama deadlocked on whether to convict or acquit him of a single charge of depriving an Indian grandfather of his civil rights, according to television station WHNT and local news website AL.com.
If convicted, Parker would have faced up to 10 years in prison.
The case involving 58-year-old Sureshbhai Patel, who did not speak English, drew international attention at a time when a series of killings of unarmed black men by police in the United States has raised questions about law enforcement’s use of force.
Patel is not expected to fully recover from the injuries he sustained when Parker abruptly flipped him onto the ground, his lawyer has said.
Testifying in his own defense during the trial this week, Parker said he was following his training and felt he had no other option, television station WAFF reported. He said the injuries were an accident.
Madison police released video of the encounter, recorded from inside a patrol vehicle.
The department apologized for Parker’s actions and recommended his termination, which he has challenged.
The grandfather had been on a morning walk about two weeks after moving from India to northern Alabama to help his son’s family care for a young child.
The officer was following up on a call about a suspicious person.
Patel, who also testified during the trial, has sued Parker and the city, alleging racism played into his treatment.
Parker was charged in state court with misdemeanor assault. That trial and his termination proceedings are on hold pending the outcome of the federal case.
(Reporting by Letitia Stein in Tampa, Fla.; Editing by Sandra Maler and Jonathan Oatis)
Possible outcomes of the Federal case against this wonderful “peace officer”:
1. He’ll be totally exonerated by the traitorous Dept. of “Just Us”.
2. He’ll walk and be promoted, with a big raise.
3. He’ll get a medal and high praise for his “dedication” to UnTruth, Injustice, and the UnAmerican Way.
In a common law court, with a real jury and judge, he’s hung from the rafters.
What the hell is wrong with the juries in cases like this? It seems as if a pig could be caught on high-definition video shooting a two-year-old at close range in the back of the head and they STILL wouldn’t convict. “I never shot that child. She was killed by a stray bullet from a gang member, and then that video camera was hacked and sophisticated digital video editing tools were used to make me look like the shooter.” No excuse is too absurd when it comes to letting the pigs escape justice.
It’s hard to explain this. True, a huge fraction of Americans are brainwashed idiots who still view the police as “the good guys” simply because they’re police. But I wouldn’t rule out jury tampering or other such underhandedness.
I TOLD MY WIFE ONCE,WHILE EATING IN A RESTAURANT,”WE COULD GET NAKED RIGHT HERE AND DO IT, NO ONE WOULD EVER SEE” SHE SAID, “AND WHY IS THAT”?
“PEOPLE ARE ONLY WILLING TO SEE WHAT THEY BELIEVE”, I SAID.
I saw the video. The officer is unquestionably a first rate, neo-nazi, p#@ck. The Indian’s only crime was, he did not speak English. For those of you who do not know, he was here legally, visiting his son. A nosy neighbor turned him in for the high crime of walking down the street. Remember when that was legal in the former Republic?
“Patel, who also testified during the trial, has sued Parker and the city, alleging racism played into his treatment.”
The race card… SOP these days.
“Parker was charged in state court with misdemeanor assault.”
Had the roles been reversed, the perpetrator would have been charged with no less than the attempted murder of a pig.