Kennesaw, Georgia — Mahendra "Mick" Patel, a 57-year-old Indian-American man, has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Cobb County law enforcement and prosecutors alleging they wrongfully charged him with attempted kidnapping and jailed him for 47 days despite evidence of his innocence. The lawsuit, filed on February 9, 2026, stems from a March 2025 incident at an Acworth Walmart where Patel was accused of trying to snatch a young child from his mother, Caroline Miller, an allegation he has consistently denied.
The complaint names multiple defendants including Cobb County District Attorney Sonya Allen, the Acworth Police Department, the lead detective who charged Patel, Caroline Miller, and the DA's investigator who presented the case to a grand jury. According to Patel's legal team, surveillance video reviewed by police the night of the incident clearly showed no crime occurred, yet authorities pursued felony charges anyway.
Key Facts
• Patel was arrested on March 18, 2025, and held in Cobb County Jail for 47 days before all charges were dismissed on August 6, 2025
• The federal lawsuit alleges malicious prosecution, deprivation of liberty without due process, and selective prosecution against multiple government entities and officials
• Patel's attorneys argue that surveillance video evidence showed him simply preventing Caroline Miller's child from falling as she stood up from a motorized scooter to point out medication in the store
According to Patel's account, he was simply trying to help a woman who appeared to need assistance. Patel says he approached Caroline Miller while she was shopping on a motorized scooter and asked her for help locating Tylenol.
When she stood up to point him toward the medication, her young child began sliding off her lap, and Patel instinctively reached down to steady the child and prevent him from falling.
Millier, however, perceived the interaction differently and called police shortly after the encounter, alleging Patel had attempted to snatch her son. The police responded and arrested Patel at the scene, charging him with criminal attempt to commit kidnapping, assault, and battery—charges that would have carried severe prison sentences.
Patel's defense team immediately requested access to the store's surveillance footage, which they argue would have exonerated their client from the start. However, prosecutors allegedly sought to block the release of the video evidence and moved forward with pursuing an indictment the same day the defense made its request.
Patel was denied bond and remained incarcerated throughout the ordeal.
The lawsuit highlights what Patel's attorneys characterize as a deliberate pattern of misconduct by law enforcement and prosecutors. Despite the surveillance evidence allegedly showing no crime, authorities continued building their case, and Patel remained behind bars for over six weeks facing the prospect of spending decades in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Cobb County District Attorney's Office eventually dropped all charges against Patel in August 2025, with the agency stating that both parties had reached a resolution. However, Patel's legal team argues this resolution does nothing to address the profound harm inflicted on their client and his family during those seven weeks of wrongful detention.
Patel's attorney, Solomon Radner from Milberg and Radner Law Group, stated:
Radner emphasizes that the lawsuit seeks to hold every responsible party accountable for what he describes as a deliberate abuse of power.
Patel alleges he suffered significant lost wages, severe emotional distress, lasting reputational harm, and substantial legal costs as a result of the wrongful prosecution. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, attorneys' fees, and demands a jury trial.
Patel's team is determined to uncover why authorities continued pursuing charges despite clear evidence of innocence.
The case raises critical questions about accountability within the criminal justice system and what safeguards exist when law enforcement and prosecutors appear to proceed with charges knowing they lack evidence. For Patel and his family, the nightmare that began as a simple trip to the store to purchase Tylenol has become an ordeal that will likely dominate their lives for years to come as the litigation progresses.
This federal civil rights lawsuit sends a clear message that innocent individuals wrongly prosecuted and jailed can and will seek legal accountability. As the case moves forward through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, all eyes will be on whether the system can provide meaningful remedies when law enforcement and prosecutors fail in their fundamental duties to pursue justice fairly and honestly.
Do You Know?
Mahendra Patel's case is not isolated. Wrongful prosecutions and misidentifications happen more frequently than many realize, with exonerations based on DNA evidence and video footage proving innocence in numerous high-profile cases across the United States.
Studies show that false accusations, misidentifications, and prosecutorial misconduct contribute significantly to wrongful convictions, which is why civil rights lawsuits like Patel's serve as crucial mechanisms for accountability and systemic change.
Key Terms
• Malicious Prosecution: A civil lawsuit claiming that someone was prosecuted without probable cause and with knowledge of guilt or innocence
• Deprivation of Liberty: Unlawfully removing someone's freedom, typically referring to unjustified imprisonment or detention
• Exculpatory Evidence: Evidence that proves a person's innocence or tends to exclude guilt
• Civil Rights Lawsuit: A federal court case alleging violations of constitutional rights or federal law
• Probable Cause: The legal standard requiring sufficient facts to believe a crime has been committed before making an arrest
Asia91 Original