In a stunning but overdue reversal, prosecutors in Cobb County have officially dropped all charges against Mahendra “Mick” Patel, the man wrongly accused of attempting to kidnap a toddler from a Walmart Supercenter in March.
The Cobb County District Attorney’s Office released a statement, saying the decision to drop Patel’s charges came after a meeting between him and Patel’s accuser Caroline Miller, who expressed that they wanted to “put the incident behind them.”
On Wednesday, Cobb Superior Court Judge Greg Poole signed a nolle prosequi, clearing Patel’s name and bringing a deeply flawed case to an end.
But for many observers, the dismissal is too little, too late.
Patel, an innocent man, spent 45 days behind bars without bond, based on an accusation that crumbled under basic scrutiny, scrutiny the Acworth Police Department and Cobb District Attorney’s Office seemingly chose to avoid from day one.
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A Dangerous Pattern of Accusations, And a Rush to Judgment
It began with Caroline Miller, a shopper at the Walmart in North Cobb, who claimed Patel tried to snatch her child from her lap inside the store on March 18. That allegation triggered a swift and aggressive law enforcement response, not just in investigating, but in publicly branding Patel a kidnapper before reviewing all the facts.
In 2019, Miller was also involved in another incident where she accused a Lyft driver of rape in a high-profile case that led to a civil lawsuit against the company. However, the criminal charge was later dropped to disorderly conduct. According to police records, Miller claimed she was assaulted after falling asleep in the back seat, but those allegations did not lead to a conviction or a rape-related charge.
According to Patel’s attorney Ashleigh Merchant, “There’s over 20 police reports over the last seven years involving Ms. Miller,” One of those reports became part of the legal case. Merchant submitted it as evidence, saying it shows Miller made a false accusation in the past.
Acworth Police also falsely claimed Patel had “fled the scene,” following the incident, a claim that was disproven by surveillance video evidence. In truth, Patel calmly remained at the store, engaged with store employees, and made no effort to hide or leave the premises. Rather than correcting the record, the department doubled down, helping build the public narrative of guilt, a narrative that was later dismantled by the very evidence they had access to all along.
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Prosecutorial Misconduct? Questions for Cobb’s DA Sonya Allen
In an unusual procedural move, Cobb prosecutors lead by District Attorney Sonya Allen rushed the case straight to a grand jury, bypassing a standard preliminary hearing and effectively keeping Patel behind bars with no opportunity to present a defense for more than six weeks.
The sole witness for the prosecution in the grandy jury hearing was Temperance Stoddard, a former investigator under disgraced Fulton County DA Fani Willis. Stoddard who now works in Cobb County, is not a sworn officer and did not participate in the investigation of the incident.
Patel’s attorney, Ashleigh Merchant, slammed the process:
“Mr. Patel, was indicted when the Cobb County District Attorney chose to present the case to the grand jury instead of allowing us to have the preliminary hearing before the Cobb Magistrate Judge who could have dismissed the charges… Additionally, the investigating officer did not even testify before the grand jury. The indictment shows that an employee of the District Attorney’s Office is the only person who testified before the grand jury.”
Merchant went on to say: “The process used for indictments is only as good as the prosecutors using it… in its current state you truly could indict a ham sandwich as the phrase goes… We need prosecutors who are willing to show the grand jury all the evidence and let the grand jury decide and not just the evidence that supports what they allege took place.”
Legal observers, including local defense attorneys and retired judges, called out the move as legally questionable and ethically troubling. Allen’s office has also been accused of selectively fulfilling document requests, delaying the release of exculpatory video footage that eventually led to Patel’s exoneration.
The case against Mick Patel has triggered growing public concern and questions about prosecutorial overreach and questionable grand jury practices in Cobb County.
Why was a key hearing avoided?
Why did a non sworn officer who did not participate in the investigation, and had with no direct knowledge of the case testify in place of police?
Why did the Cobb District Attorney’s office obstruct Patel’s attorneys by delaying and selectively fulfilling document requests?
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The Human Cost of a False Narrative
This entire case was built on a false narrative, and an innocent man paid the price. Mahendra Patel was vilified, jailed, and had his reputation dragged through the mud, all because of an accusation of a “victim” who severely lacked credibility and allegations that were never backed by the evidence.
Caroline Miller, whose unfounded claims started this firestorm, has yet to offer a public apology. Her words, unsupported by the surveillance footage or eyewitness accounts, led to a man’s wrongful incarceration. Her actions, whether driven by fear, misunderstanding, or something else, deserve public scrutiny.
So too do the institutions that failed to protect Patel’s rights.
A Wake-Up Call for Cobb County
This incident should be a wake-up call for every resident who values justice, due process, and the presumption of innocence.
Law enforcement must be held accountable when they release false information to the courts and the public. Prosecutors must answer for rushing charges without evidence. And those who make public accusations, especially ones that lead to arrests, should be prepared to face the consequences if those claims are proven false.
Mahendra Patel’s life was upended. He deserves more than the quiet dismissal of charges. He deserves an apology, and Cobb County deserves answers.
