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Attack on Indian: Alabama governor apologises; officer pleads not guilty
Eleven days after a police
officer in Alabama slammed a visiting Indian grandfather to the ground
leaving him partially paralysed, the state governor has issued an
apology, even as the officer pleaded not guilty.
In a letter to
India's consul general in Atlanta, Ajit Kumar, Republican Governor
Robert Bentley offered an apology to the Indian government for the
"tragic incident" on Feb 6 when 57-year-old Sureshbhai Patel, visiting
his son in Madison, was attacked.
"Please accept our sincere
apology for this tragic incident to your government, Patel and the
citizens of India who live and work in this state," he wrote. The letter
was released by Bentley's office Tuesday.
"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."
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".
Bentley's
apology came after Ajit Kumar Monday conveyed India's "deep concern"
over the issue of force being used on the senior Indian national who had
come to Madison to help his son and daughter-in-law take care of their
17-month-old child.
A video camera on a police vehicle that
captured the attack shows officer Eric Parker as slamming Patel to the
ground after Patel, who does not speak English, could not answer his
questions.
Police say Parker slammed Patel to the ground after
stopping him when a caller complained of a "skinny black guy" walking
around the neighbourhood.
Meanwhile, Parker, 26, who has been
charged with third-degree assault, entered a plea of not guilty in court
Tuesday, according to CNN. He waived arraignment, according to
Limestone County court documents.
A trial by judge is scheduled for April 29.
Madison's police chief has recommended that Parker be fired. He posted bail of $1,000 last week and was released from jail.
Patel
family's attorney Hank Sherrod said Tuesday the grandfather was
transferred to a rehabilitation facility on Monday. "He has a long,
difficult and uncertain rehabilitation process ahead of him."
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.
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.