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Professor Carroll Weighs in on Acquittal of Alabama Police Officer

January 20, 2016

Professor Jenny Carroll weighed in on the acquittal of a north Alabama police officer who was accused of using excessive force on an Indian man.

Federal prosecutors failed to prove Eric Parker willfully violated the rights of Sureshbhai Patel when he slammed him to the ground during a suspicious person investigation in a Huntsville suburb, according to the Associated Press

“That burden of proof is higher than in a civil case, so it’s entirely possible for someone to be acquitted in a criminal matter, but be found civilly liable,” said Carroll, whose specialties include criminal defense and criminal procedure.

For more, read “Officer’s Civil, State Cases Loom after Federal Acquittal.”


The University of Alabama School of Law strives to remain neutral on issues of public policy. The Law School’s communications team may facilitate interviews or share opinions expressed by faculty, staff, students, or other individuals regarding policy matters. However, those opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of the Law School, the University, or affiliated leadership.