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Ex-Ala. cop pleads not guilty in confrontation with Indian man

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - A former Alabama police officer pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a federal charge of violating the rights of an Indian grandfather injured during a violent confrontation with the officer earlier this year.

Eric Sloan Parker, 26, entered a plea of not guilty during a brief appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Harwell G. Davis III, court records showed.

Parker is accused of using unreasonable force against 57-year-old Sureshbhai Patel in February, when he was walking in a suburban neighborhood where he was visiting family and a resident called police about a suspicious man.

Police video captured images of an officer slamming Patel to the ground face-first. He is still recovering from injuries, and donors on a GoFundMe.com website established to pay for his medical expenses have given nearly $210,000.

Parker also faces a state assault charge stemming from his alleged treatment of Patel. A hearing in that case is set for May 13.

Patel, who doesn't speak English, was spotted by police after a caller said a "skinny black guy" with a toboggan hat was walking in the neighborhood and peering into garages, according to recordings and other accounts released by police.

Officers arrived in patrol cars within minutes and found Patel walking in his son's neighborhood in Madison, a town of about 46,000 people near high-tech businesses. Video showed officers were unable to communicate with the man, who attempted to walk away from them, before an officer forced Patel to the ground.

Patel's lawyer said he is still recovering from injuries, including partial paralysis. A separate civil lawsuit filed by Patel over the incident is on hold while the criminal charges are resolved.

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley previously apologized to the Indian government for Patel's treatment, calling it a case of "excessive force."

Parker, who was accompanied by his lawyer Tuesday, is free on $5,000 bond. His trial is scheduled for June 1.

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