Officer acquitted of civil rights charges returns to work

Madison, Sep 6 (AP) An Alabama police officer acquittedof federal civil rights charges arising from a video recordingof an Indian man being slammed to the ground is returning towork. Local news media report Madison police Officer EricParker was returning from leave today and would be assigned toa training unit until he completes required recertification. Parker was recorded slamming Sureshbhai Patel, then 57,to the ground in February 2015. Patel was out for a walk in his son’s suburban Huntsvilleneighborhood and was approached by police after a neighbourwho called 911 reported a thin black man walking through thearea looking at houses. Parker has said Patel resisted him and that he and Patelboth slipped as he tried to take him to the ground. Patel hadsaid through an interpreter that he doesn’t speak English anddidn’t understand Parker’s orders. Patel was seriously injured in the fall, and aneurosurgeon who treated Patel after the encounter said theman suffered spinal trauma and that he removed a vertebrae tomake room for the man’s spine. A judge acquitted Parker of federal civil rights chargesin January after two trials ended with deadlocked juries. Astate judge dismissed assault charges in May.Parker appealed his dismissal from the force. Major Jim Cooke, the acting chief, said in a letter sentto the department and posted by WHNT-TV (http://bit.ly/2cyByEQ) that after reviewing all departmental and courtdocumentation in the case, he found Parker didn’t violatedepartment policy. Cooke is serving as acting chief because Chief LarryMuncey was put on leave after he was found guilty of contemptin April for talking to Parker’s colleagues about theirtestimony in his first trial. He is appealing that ruling.(AP)PMS