It’s been five years since Eric Garner was killed by NYPD Daniel Pantaleo by a chokehold in the city streets during a time where innocent black men murdered by white police was becoming too common.
Since then, the family has settled for a $5.9 millon lawsuit when they were seeking $75 million and Pantaleo still has a job.
NYPD Union lawyer said that even though their cop killed Garner, he was going to die soon anyway. Per reports, Pantaleo’s lawyer said at the administrative hearing that Garner was a “ticking bomb” who resisted arrest and was going to die anyway due to his health issues. He also claims that his client didn’t put Garner in a chokehold even though you can see it on camera.
This May, a disciplinary hearing was done on Pantaleo and the medical examiner claimed even though his chokehold “set into motion a lethal sequence” that caused Garner’s death that a bear hug would of done the same thing.
So because he wasn’t in the best of health, it’s ok for officers to use an excessive amount of force?
The whole purpose of the police approaching him on July 14 2014 was because they thought he was selling cigarettes illegally. After they put him in a chokehold and got him facedown on the ground, Garner cried out he couldn’t breathe.
His health situation should not be a reason for Pantaleo to avoid any type of disciplinary action and I highly doubt he knew of Garner’s condition. Shouldn’t we be questioning was it neccessary for the chokehold over cigarettes?