In what may prove to be a setback for justice for the Indian victim of a brutal police assault in Alabama last February, a US judge has declared a “mistrial” following deadlocked jury proceedings.
US District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala made the declaration of mistrial after the 12-member jury failed to reach a unanimous decision, despite four attempts, on whether Madison police officer Eric Parker should be convicted for slamming down 58-year-old Sureshbhai Patel, leaving him partially paralysed.
The assault on Patel that was captured on the police’s own dashboard camera had gone viral on the Internet days after the assault, triggering widespread outrage.
Although the Alabama authorities have said that a new trial will be held by appointing a new jury, the present jury stalemate and mistrial declaration are being interpreted as good news for police officer Parker, who was on trial for violating the civil rights of Patel, who had arrived from India just days before the assault.
As Al.com reported after the court proceedings in Huntsville, “Parker’s supporters wore smiles as they left the courtroom after hugging Parker.”
The assault on Patel, while he was taking a walk in the neighbourhood of his son’s house in Madison, had prompted suspension of Parker, institution of a civil rights probe by the Department of Justice and a formal apology from Alabama Governor Robert Bentley to the Indian Government.
Jury deliberations in the case had begun on Wednesday. Parker claimed before jurors that when he pinned Patel to the ground, there was no intent to injure him. He claimed he lost his balance and fell along with the suspect onto the grass at the spot.
“I lost balance and we fell,” he claimed, adding: “Unfortunately, he (Patel) was hurt in the situation.” He went on to say that he has taken suspects to the ground in similar fashion on numerous occasions and none of that had resulted in injuries.