Third day of deliberations produces no verdict in retrial of Eric Parker.
By Raif Karerat
![Sureshbhai Patel recovering in hospital (Courtesy of Twitter)](http://www.americanbazaaronline.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Sureshbhai-Patel-in-Hospital-bed.jpg)
After three days of hearing the Surehbhai Patel case, the jury is still unable to reach a verdict in the federal retrial of Madison police officer Eric Parker.
The jury worked through lunch on Tuesday, reported WHNT 19 News, as they discussed the various aspects of the case. After that lunch, the jury came to the courtroom to tell the judge that they have been unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
The judge issued a charge recommending they continue deliberations in good faith. She told the jury that no future jury would be better positioned to reach a verdict.
After the initial trial ended with a deadlock in September, the new jury spent hours on Friday, and all of Monday discussing the police takedown of Indian national Patel.
Madison Police Officer Eric Parker, 27, faces a single criminal civil rights charge of deprivation of rights under color of law for the Feb. 6 takedown that left the Patel, 58, partially paralyzed and in need of spinal surgery.
A permanent resident, Patel had recently moved from Gujarat, India, and staying with his son near Huntsville in February when his world turned upside down.
The incident unfolded after police received a call about a suspicious individual walking around the neighborhood, after which they approached the elderly Patel, who was out for a leisurely stroll.
Police video showed two officers struggling to communicate with Patel because of language differences. Unfortunately for Patel, when the officers began questioning him all he could respond with was “no English” and “India” as he pointed to his son’s residence and repeated the house number.
After a few moments, an officer slammed Patel to the ground face-first as another officer stood by.
According to the Alabama Media Group, Patel testified through a translator last week that he did not jerk away and was standing still when Parker held his hands behind his back.
Parker has testified that Patel would not answer questions, walked away from police, reached for his pockets and pulled his hand away repeatedly during a pat down for weapons. Parker also testified he did not intend to perform a leg sweep, but rather lost his balance while pulling Patel to the ground.
“The jury is doing exactly what we asked them to do,” defense attorney Robert Tuten said to local news station WTVM, “And that is to sift through the evidence and deliberate and work hard on their decision. Obviously, they are doing that.”
After the trial in September, the first jury deadlocked 10-2 in favor of Parker. They had deliberated for two and a half days before the judge declared a hung jury.