"Ala. police scrutinized after hurting Indian man" Associated Press February 14, 2015
MADISON, Ala. — Police sought out an Indian man in a bedroom community of Alabama after a caller said a ‘‘skinny black guy’’ wearing a toboggan cap was walking in the neighborhood and peering into garages, recordings show.
The man, 57-year-old Sureshbhai Patel, doesn’t speak English and was slammed to the ground face-first by an officer when he didn’t respond to commands. But he had committed no crime, the Madison police chief said.
Officer Eric Parker was arrested and is being fired. He has not commented publicly.
Patel filed a lawsuit Thursday after two officers stopped him Feb. 6 in Madison, where he was visiting his son’s family. His injuries include partial paralysis, but he hopes for a full recovery, according to the lawsuit and Patel’s lawyer. The suit says Patel’s civil rights were violated.
The Indian government is taking the incident seriously and is ‘‘extremely disturbed’’ by the treatment of Patel, a spokesman said Friday.
The incident began when a man called police complaining that an unfamiliar man was wandering about his neighborhood and peering toward garages.
‘‘He’s a skinny black guy. He’s got a toboggan on,’’ said the caller, who isn’t identified.
Video shot from inside one of the cruisers shows two officers walking toward the man on the sidewalk and attempting to talk to him.
‘‘What’s going on, sir?’’ asks one of the officers. ‘‘You’re what? India?’’
Police pepper the man with questions about what he is doing, but answers are inaudible and someone on the recording is heard saying ‘‘no English.’’ Patel appears to try to walk away and one of the officers warns: ‘‘Do not jerk away from me again.’’
One of the officers restrains Patel by pulling his arms behind his back and then slams him face-first into the ground less than 90 seconds after the confrontation began.
‘‘He don’t speak a lick of English,’’ one of the officers says as another officer arrives.
Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey said the officer’s actions weren’t justified.
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