New York – Several hundred people took to the streets of New York on Wednesday to protest a decision by the U.S. Department of Justice not to bring federal charges against a policeman accused in the chokehold death of an unarmed black man in 2014.
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The demonstrators also directed their anger at New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has declined to fire Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the five years since Eric Garner died in police custody.
De Blasio, one of more than 20 Democrats seeking the party’s nomination for president, told reporters on Wednesday that he was surprised to learn that the Justice Department would not be bringing charges and regretted delaying the start of disciplinary proceedings against Pantaleo at the DOJ’s request.
“You can do something about it,” said Takiema McKiver, 30, from St. Albans, Queens, responding to de Blasio’s comments. “You can’t just say that you can’t do something about police brutality. You’re the mayor; this is your city.”
McKiver, who is black, said she could be the next victim of policy brutality.
De Blasio said New York City’s police commissioner would decide by August whether to punish or fire Pantaleo, who has been on desk duty since he was seen in bystanders’ cellphone videos putting Garner in a chokehold and wrestling him to the ground on July 17, 2014.
Garner is heard in videos saying “I can’t breathe!” at least 11 times shortly before he died.
The death of Garner, 43, who was initially approached by police because they suspected him of illegally selling untaxed cigarettes, touched off a nationwide furor and helped give rise to the Black Lives Matter movement.
In announcing that it would not bring charges against Pantaleo, Justice Department officials said they could not reach a conclusive determination as to whether Pantaleo willfully committed misconduct, which must be established to prove that he violated Garner’s civil rights.
Protesters chanted “Hey hey, ho ho Pantaleo has got to go!” and “I can’t breathe!” as they were addressed by civic rights activists. Filmmaker Spike Lee mingled in the throng, accompanied by a camera operator, but declined to speak to a Reuters reporter.
Pantaleo was the latest example of a law enforcement officer in the United States to avoid criminal liability https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-police-garner-factbox/factbox-u-s-police-officers-who-kill-unarmed-black-men-often-avoid-criminal-liability-idUSKCN1UB2HJ in killings of unarmed black men in recent years.
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You can’t prosecute a cop for lousy, incompetent police work.
An NYPD internal affairs investigation determined that New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo used a forbidden chokehold on Garner. Deputy Inspector Charles Barton, the supervisor who oversaw the internal investigation, testified that in 2015 he recommended that disciplinary charges be brought against Pantaleo.
He should be kicked off the force and that should be the end of it. It’s not perfect justice but it’s what’s called for.
In my opinion the video says it all. The cops had to take down a suspected crimonal that was bigger than them and not cooperating. They did it in the way they had to. The alternative would be to let any suspect that is bigger than the cops walk away.
Mr. Garner was a medically fragil eperson that should not fought with anybody. early death ran in his family, by the way.
Yes it was unfortunate that Garner passed away during this episode. He was the major. contributor to his demise. That fateful day turned into a big payday for that family who then squabbled over the money.
When low life’s like race baiter Sharpton got involved it became a circus and of course a racial incident.
The supervising police person on scene was a black female officer Kizzie Adonis who is not heard anywhere telling her men to stop.
Yes I repeat it was unfortunate, but Garner refused lawful orders to submit to arrest and set the stage for what happened. He had health issues and should have been smarter. If mobs get their way every time a man of color commits a crime we as a society lose control. I think the liberal jackass Mayor will squeeze the Police Commissioner to fire the officer in question as an appeasement to the community.