The federal judge who dismissed civil rights charges against a former Madison, Alabama, police officer who was tried twice for allegedly slamming an Indian man to the ground during a police stop last year, will unseal transcripts detailing allegations of police misconduct during the officer's first trial, NBC News reported.
U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala wrote in an opinion last Friday that the court will begin proceedings to determine whether Madison Police Chief Larry Muncey and Capt. Terrell Cook violated a sequestration order in the first trial, which prohibits one witness from hearing testimony of others called to the stand.
But to avoid complicating a pending civil lawsuit brought by 58-year-old Sureshbhai Patel, who was seriously injured in the incident last year, Haikala said she will delay a decision on whether to allow a criminal investigation into alleged witness tampering.
