{"id":11068,"date":"2016-01-17T11:03:46","date_gmt":"2016-01-17T19:03:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/?p=11068"},"modified":"2016-01-17T11:03:46","modified_gmt":"2016-01-17T19:03:46","slug":"officer-acquitted","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconeer.com\/current\/officer-acquitted\/","title":{"rendered":"OFFICER ACQUITTED"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"File
File photo of Sureshbhai Patel, who was paralyzed after a police officer violently frisked him and pulled him to the ground in Madison, Alabama, in February of last year, at the hospital. (Press Trust of India)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a jolt to a paralyzed Indian grandfather’s bid to seek justice, an American police officer who brutally assaulted him has been acquitted by a U.S. court on the grounds of being “presumed innocent” after two mistrials could not establish his guilt beyond doubt. (Society, #SAALT, #IndianEmbassy, #USIndianEmbassy, #IndianConsulateNY, @Siliconeer, #Siliconeer)<\/p>\n

\n

Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala threw out the case against Alabama police officer Eric Parker, who faced up to 10 years in prison for using excessive force against 58-year-old Sureshbhai Patel in the Feb. 6 incident last year.<\/p>\n

Haikala filed a 92-page opinion, ending with, “The Government has had two full and fair chances to obtain a conviction; it will not have another.”<\/p>\n

Parker still faces a state charge of misdemeanor assault in Limestone County.<\/p>\n

“The result in this case is by no means satisfying.<\/p>\n

Hindsight brings clarity to a calamity,” Haikala was quoted as saying by AL.com.<\/p>\n

“Mr Patel’s celebrated arrival in this country to begin a new life with his son was interrupted in two tragic minutes.<\/p>\n

If Mr. Parker or Mr. Patel could take that time back, both would surely do things differently and avoid the events that have forever changed both of their lives,” the judge said.<\/p>\n

“Mr. Patel had\u2014and has\u2014just as much right to be free from excessive force as every citizen of this country. He is welcome here, and it is appropriate to grieve his injury.<\/p>\n

However, that injury, standing alone, does not provide the basis for a criminal judgment against Mr. Parker,” she said.<\/p>\n

The judge wrote that Parker is “presumed innocent” and that evidence offered at two trials has not eliminated “reasonable doubt” as to his guilt.<\/p>\n

“Two juries have communicated as much after lengthy deliberations that produced thoughtful questions and, ultimately, deadlock. The Court has no reason to expect a different result in a subsequent trial given the totality of the evidence that the parties have provided,” the judge said.<\/p>\n

Haikala had not ruled for more than two months, with both sides predicting a ruling any moment for the last few weeks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a jolt to a paralyzed Indian grandfather’s bid to seek justice, an American police officer who brutally assaulted him has been acquitted by a U.S. court on the grounds of being “presumed innocent” after two mistrials could not establish his guilt beyond doubt. (Society, #SAALT, #IndianEmbassy, #USIndianEmbassy, #IndianConsulateNY, @Siliconeer, #Siliconeer) Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala…<\/p>\n

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