Sureshbhai Patel was taking his morning walk on the the street outside his son's home in Alabama when a concerned resident spotted him and called police to report a "skinny black guy" wearing a "toboggan" in his neighborhood. Police arrived on the scene, and when one officer became frustrated that Patel wasn't complying with his orders to stop "jerking away," he slammed Patel to the ground so hard that it paralyzed him. Patel had been in the US for a week and didn't understand English.
The audio offers a clips of the interaction, mainly just what the officers say.
"What's going on sir?"
"You what?"
"India."
"Where you heading?"
"Where?"
"I can't understand you, sir."
"Where's your address?"
"Do you have any ID?"
"India?"
"Do you live here."
"Sir, sir, come here."
"Do not jerk away from me again, or I will put you on the ground. Do you understand?"
Eventually, the two officers turn Patel around and have his hands behind his back. At one point, as another patrol car pulls up, Parker yanks his arm and slams him into the ground. Patel can not put out his hands to break his fall. He would require cervical fusion and remains in Huntsville Hospital with limited mobility in his limbs. His son as of Tuesday said his father could not move one leg at all.
The video continues, with officers trying to get the man to stand. One officer begins picking dirt and debris off of him. The concern slowly becomes evident in their voices.
"He don't speak a lick of English."
The police filed a report blaming Patel for the assault against him, claiming he'd been snooping around people's garages. After Patel's family hired an attorney, police backed off from the accusations. The officer who is seen in the video slamming Patel to the ground, Eric Parker, turned himself in and was charged with third degree assault. He was released on a $1,000 bond.
