BIRMINGHAM— A federal grand jury indicted a Madison police officer who injured a man by slamming him to the ground, officials announced today.
The one-count felony indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges that Eric Sloan Parker, 26, of Toney, while acting in his official capacity as a police officer on Feb. 6 in Limestone County, injured a man by slamming the 57-year-old Indian man to the ground.
“Police officers are sworn to uphold the law and protect the public. The public must be able to trust the police,” U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance said. “Law enforcement officers who violate their oath to protect and use excessive force must be brought to justice.
According to the indictment, Parker’s actions deprived the victim of his right under the U.S. Constitution to be secure from unreasonable searches and seizures, which includes the right to be free from unreasonable force by someone acting under color of law.
An indictment is only an allegation and does not constitute evidence of guilt on the part of the defendant.
The FBI investigated the case.