A former United States police officer, accused of using excessive force against an Indian grandfather by slamming him to the ground, leaving him partially paralysed, has pleaded not guilty to charges.
Eric Parker, 26, appeared before US Magistrate Harwell Davis in Alabama along with his attorney Robert Tuten. Tuten told the court Parker was pleading not guilty to the charges of civil rights abuse.
Parker was charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation last month with felony civil rights abuse for slamming Sureshbhai Patel, 57, to the ground -- an incident caught on another officer's dashboard camera.
That charge carries up to 10 years in prison. After today's hearing, Davis ordered a $5,000 bond for Parker, who was quickly processed and left the federal courthouse in Huntsville without addressing the media gathered outside, Alabama Local reported.
His trial is set for June 1.
Parker is facing a federal charge of ‘deprivation of rights under colour of law’, which US Attorney Joyce White Vance said includes the right to be free from ‘unreasonable force’.
Parker also faces state assault charges. Hearing for this case is scheduled for May 13.
Parker's encounter with Patel on a residential street in Madison drew international headlines and an apology from Alabama Governor Robert Bentley who called the incident a case of ‘excessive force’.
Patel was brutally assaulted by Parker, who was in the company of two other police officers, on February 6 while he was on a walk in his neighbourhood. He had arrived from India only a few days back to help his son and daughter in law with their newly born baby.
Patel is still recovering from injuries, including partial paralysis.
