Ugh.
A Staten Island grand jury on Wednesday has decided against filing criminal charges against a NYPD officer named Daniel Pantaleo for the death of Eric Garner.
Eric, the father of six children, was killed after being placed in a chokehold by the police officer on July 17th. He was allegedly resisting arrest.
A cell phone video, which you can view HERE, was taken of the event and sparked outrage across the country… because, you see, NYPD officers are BANNED from using chokeholds.
Police officers originally showed up after a tip that he was selling loose cigarettes.
Eric’s widow Esaw Garner was shocked when she heard the news regarding the grand jury’s decision. She said:
“Oh my God, are you serious? I’m very disappointed. You can see in the video that he (the cop) was dead wrong!”
Officer Pantaleo, when the decision was announced, released the following statement:
“I became a police officer to help people and to protect those who can’t protect themselves. It is never my intention to harm anyone and I feel very bad about the death of Mr. Garner. My family and I include him and his family in our prayers and I hope that they will accept my personal condolences for their loss.”
It is unclear if Officer Pantaleo, who is currently on suspension from the NYPD, will regain his job. For that to happen an internal investigation will need to take place.
Here’s what one of the lawyers for Mr. Garner’s family said:
“We’re astounded by the outcome of the grand jury process and that after hearing months of evidence and having deliberated that they would find no true bill as to any potential criminal charge. It’s very upsetting to us ├óΓé¼ΓÇ£ we obviously hope that the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District, Loretta Lynch, will take a close look at this.”
Many are worried that violence may erupt in New York City, especially after some instances of looting and rioting happened after a grand jury decided to not indict the police officer who shot Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
[ Related: Ferguson Verdict Reached: Officer Darren Wilson Not Indicted In Death Of Michael Brown; Rioting, Looting Ensues ]
However, police commissioner William J. Bratton does NOT expect that to happen in New York City. He said:
“We have had quite a bit of time to prepare for the events that will unfold here for the next few days.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton will be holding a new conference with Garner’s family later today and said he was NOT surprised by the decision. He said:
“People thought we were being extreme. But now, I think you can see, we have no confidence in the state grand juries, whether in Ferguson or in New York, because there is an intrinsic relationship between state prosecutors and the police; they depend on the police for their evidence, they run for office and depend on the unions for endorsements.”
We are definitely shocked that this was the decision, especially because there WAS video of the incident clearly showing the banned move.
We certainly hope though that protests and rallies remain peaceful in New York City during this tenuous time, and we’ll be keeping a close eye out to see what happens to this NYPD officer and if he’ll keep his job after Garner’s death.
We have a feeling that more than a few people in New York and across the country would prefer he did not, but crazier things have happened.
[Image via AP Images.]
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