A 68-year-old Vietnam War veteran who was suffering from dementia died six months after being slammed to the ground and paralyzed by an Alabama police officer in 2020. His story was highlighted in an Associated Press series examining the use of non-lethal force by members of law enforcement.
The ordeal began on Super Bowl Sunday when Carl Grant left to buy groceries and inadvertently drove from his home in Georgia to Alabama. Disoriented, the veteran attempted to enter a stranger’s home, believing it was his own. This led to the homeowner contacting the police. The officers handcuffed Grant but later realized he was suffering from dementia. Back at the precinct, they let him go.
About an hour later, Grant was found sitting in a porch chair in front of another home. Officers responded to a burglary call where they encountered the veteran.
Grant stood up and turned toward the front…
