Sureshbhai Patel
This is America.
Although the governor of Alabama formally apologized to the Indian government last year and promised that justice would be served, Madison police officer Eric Parker, the cop who left an innocent elderly grandfather paralyzed, not only escaped justice — but is now back on the job.

In what can only be described as the epitome of everything wrong with police in America today, this brutal monster, who attacked and left severely disabled, an innocent old man out for a walk, will have his badge reinstated, his gun given back, and put out on the streets to strike again.

In a statement Tuesday morning, by Major Jim Cooke, the acting Madison police chief, it was announced that Parker will return to work following a long-term paid vacation.

"Officer Eric Parker will return from administrative leave today and will be assigned to the MPD Training Unit until he completes his required re-certifications. After his training is complete, he will receive his duty assignment," reads the statement.

Despite the fact that two separate police dashcam videos recorded the blatant use of excessive force on an elderly man, major Cooke went on to justify this disgusting move.

"I have extensively reviewed all of the documentation regarding the case, and I have made the factual determination that Officer Parker's actions in February 2015 did not amount to a policy violation," said Cooke.


Comment: Implication: brutalizing harmless old me is standard policy.


The acting chief said that the Memorandum Opinion, issued by Federal Judge Madeline H. Haikala after Officer Parker's second federal trial, helped him to get to this decision.
"[T]he evidence demonstrates that Officer Parker complied with MPD policy regarding preliminary investigations of suspicious individuals and MPD's 'Response to Resistance' policy...Officer Parker made a split-second decision in a rapidly evolving situation rather than a premeditated decision to use violent force."
These statements, to those who've seen the video below, are outright denials of reality. Sureshbhai Patel in no way resisted or otherwise posed any threat whatsoever, when he was brutally attacked by this public servant.

At 9:00 a.m. on February 6, 2015, Patel had been visiting his son's family in Madison, Alabama, when he decided to take a morning walk through the neighborhood. Although the Indian grandfather had committed no crime, Madison Police Officer Eric Parker and his partner confronted Patel on the sidewalk in an attempt to question him. Unable to communicate with the officers or understand their commands, Patel tried to speak in broken English.

"He's saying, 'No English,'" Parker's partner observed as they continued to interrogate Patel.
eric parker
Eric "Cartman" Parker
Parker later testified that Patel's actions and appearance were "in sequence" with those of a burglar because the Indian grandfather did not answer questions and attempted to walk away during their encounter. Although Patel had not broken the law and was not carrying any weapons or burglary equipment, Parker suspected he was a burglar. At no point did he consider the possibility that Patel was visiting the country from India, struggling to communicate, and could not speak English.


Two police dashcam videos recorded Parker restraining Patel's arms behind his back before suddenly sweeping the man's legs out from under him while simultaneously slamming Patel face-first into the ground. With blood pouring down his face, Patel remained on the lawn unable to feel his arms and legs.

As another officer approached them, one of the cops acknowledged, "He don't speak a lick of English."

While recovering from surgery after doctors performed a cervical spinal fusion, Patel filed a lawsuit against the city and the two cops who initially confronted him. Since Patel does not have health insurance, his family launched a fundraising campaign at GoFundMe.com to accept donations towards his medical expenses. Luckily the campaign was successful.

Six days after the incident, Parker was charged with third-degree assault and later fired from the department. On March 26, 2015, a federal grand jury decided to indict Parker for use of unreasonable force. Even though Parker was caught on video clearly violating Patel's civil rights, his two previous trials ended in hung juries.

In September, U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala declared a mistrial after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision. A second mistrial was declared two months later. Arguing in January that the prosecution did not eliminate reasonable doubt that Parker had used excessive force in his prior two trials, Haikala decided to throw out the case against the cowardly cop who felt threatened by an unarmed, innocent elderly man.

Last year, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley formally apologized to the government of India for the brutal assault. Referring to the use of excessive force, Governor Bentley assured the Indian government that justice would be served while expressing regret for Patel's spinal cord injuries.

"I wish to assure you and the government of India that we will see that justice is done," Governor Bentley wrote last year. "I deeply regret the unfortunate use of excessive force by the Madison Police Department on Sureshbhai Patel and for the injuries sustained by Mr. Patel. I sincerely hope that Mr. Patel continues to improve and that he will regain full use of his legs."

Instead of fulfilling Bentley's promise, the U.S. justice system and police have once again failed an innocent person abused by an incompetent coward who should never have been given a badge and a gun in the first place.

Beware Madison residents — a violent criminal with the authority to violate your rights is posing as a public servant.

Please feel free to peacefully voice your concern with the department's choice to welcome back this violent officer.

Madison, Alabama Police Department: (256) 772-5685