Mahendra Patel, Free At Last

After spending over six weeks in jail for a crime he didn’t commit, Mahendra Patel was finally cleared of all charges on Wednesday, August 6.

Patel, 57, had been looking for Tylenol for his mother at a Walmart in Atlanta, Georgia on March 18, when he asked Caroline Miller for help. He paid for the Tylenol and left the store. But 30 minutes later, Miller called the police, alleging that Patel had tried to kidnap her son. Based on Miller’s claims, a grand jury indicted the Gujarati American in April on charges of attempted kidnapping, assault, and battery. Patel spent 45 days in jail, including his birthday.

During this time, Patel’s attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, released Walmart CCTV footage that contradicted Miller’s claims. Suddenly, public opinion started to turn. On May 6, Cobb County judge A. Gregory Poole granted Patel’s release from prison. But that hearing focused on his release, not on the merits of the case. Now, the state of Georgia has finally dropped all charges. This time, Patel walked out of the courtroom holding his case dismissal papers. “I’m going to frame this,” he said, smiling. “This thing has been hanging over my head for a long time, and our family went through a lot of hell…I’m thankful that I’m out.”

We chatted with Patel days after the case dismissal to discuss his reflections over the past few months, whether he’s going to take action against Miller, and what he hopes for the South Asian American community.

We have edited this interview for length and clarity.