New York, Feb 18 In an unusual gesture,
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley issued a public apology for the attack
by police on an Indian man that left him partially paralysed.
"Please
accept our sincere apology for this tragic incident to your government,
(Sureshbhai) Patel and the citizens of India who live and work in this
state," the Republican governor wrote in a letter to Ajit Kumar, the
Indian consul general in Atlanta. The letter was publicised by Bentley's
office Tuesday.
The attack on 57-year-old Patel, who was visiting his son in Madison, was captured on a video camera on a police vehicle.
Officer
Eric Parker, who responded to a neighbour's complaint that a "skinny
black guy" was loitering around, is seen slamming him to the ground
after Patel, who does not speak English, could not answer his questions.
Patel is partially paralysed after the attack.
Bentley said that
he has instructed the director of the state's Law Enforcement Agency to
conduct an investigation into the incident and gave the assurance that
"we will see that justice is done".
"I deeply regret the
unfortunate use of excessive force by the Madison Police Department on
Sureshbhai Patel and for the injuries sustained by Patel," Bentley said
in his letter. "I sincerely hope that Patel continues to improve and
that he will regain full use of his legs."
Meanwhile, Sureshbhai Patel was transferred to a local
rehabilitation center on Monday, his attorney Henry F. (Hank) Sherrod III
said. “He has a long, difficult, and uncertain rehabilitation process
ahead of him. Mr. Patel and his family deeply appreciate the outpouring
of prayers and support he has received.â€
While the Patel family is pleased that the Madison Police
Department took action against Officer Parker, the family is disappointed that
this action came only after public outrage and media attention.
Three days before releasing the video and firing and
arresting Parker, the police department put out a press release blaming Mr.
Patel for the incident. The family is also disappointed that Parker was
only charged with misdemeanor assault, the lowest level criminal charge
possible, Sherrod said.
Although disdained by
many as a socially backward and conservative state, Alabama's reaction
to the racially-charged incident involving a white police officer and a
person of colour stands out in contrast to the way recent police attacks
on minorities have been handled elsewhere.
Bentley took responsibility for the incident, ordered an inquiry and apologised.
Officials in Madison dismissed the officer, Eric Parker, filed assault charges against him and arrested him.
In New York, a police officer choked an unarmed African American man to death in an incident caught on camera by a passerby.
However, he was allowed to stay on the force while grand jury failed to bring charges against him.
In
Ferguson in Missouri, an African American teenager was shot dead by
police and that officer also remained on the force and a grand jury
cleared him. The Ferguson case led to several days of rioting by an
enraged public.
However, Parker also found support among some
people who set up crowd-funding initiative for him on Indiegogo.com. It
had brought in $3,301 as of Tuesday night.
Parker who
surrendered at a local jail, and was out on bail, entered a not guilty
plea Tuesday, his lawyer Robert Tuten, was quoted in local media.
Meanwhile,
an Internet fundraiser on Gofundme.com to collect contributions for
Patel's medical treatment has raised $189,102 by Tuesday night against a
target of $100,000.
