A federal jury said Thursday it was deadlocked in its deliberations over civil rights charges against a Madison, Ala., police officer accused of using excessive force Feb. 6 when he slammed a frail grandfather to the sidewalk, reports AL.com. U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala ordered the jury to continue deliberations Friday morning.
Officer Eric Parker was called to a suburban subdivision by a resident who reported that a suspicious dark-skinned man was walking in his neighborhood. Parker confronted Sureshbhai Patel, 57, a visitor from India who was taking a walk while visiting his son’s home in the subdivision. Patel did not understand Parker’s instructions, and the officer suddenly slammed the man to the ground, leaving him with spinal injuries and partial paralysis. The violent take-down, captured on police dashcam, was one of the many controversial police videos that attracted national attention this year. Parker was fired.