Cop cleared in chokehold death of Eric Garner
By Larry Celona, Kirstan Conley and Bruce Golding December 3, 2014 | 2:15pm
A Staten Island grand jury cleared an NYPD cop in the chokehold death of Eric Garner during his caught-on-video arrest for peddling loose cigarettes, the Staten Island district attorney confirmed Wednesday. The panel voted a “no-bill” and dismissed all potential charges against Officer Daniel Pantaleo. The blockbuster decision capped weeks of investigation by the special grand jury, which was empaneled in September specifically to review evidence in Garner’s racially charged death.
In a statement released by his union, Pantaleo said: “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,” he added. “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.”
Police Benevolent Association President Pat Lynch said it was clear that Pantaleo had tried “to do nothing more than take Mr. Garner into custody as instructed and that he used the take-down technique that he learned in the academy when Mr. Garner refused.” “While we are pleased with the grand jury’s decision, there are no winners here today,” Lynch said. “There was a loss of life that both a family and a police officer will always have to live with. … No police officer starts a shift intending to take another human being’s life and we are all saddened by this tragedy.”
Mayor Bill de Blasio canceled his events for the day — including attending the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting — and headed to Staten Island to meet with elected officials, clergy members and activists.
In a statement, the mayor called Garner’s death “a terrible tragedy that no family should have to endure” and which “put a spotlight on police-community relations and civil rights — some of most critical issues our nation faces today.” De Blasio also said the grand jury’s decision was “one that many in our city did not want,” but cautioned against “violence and disorder” in its wake. “New York City owns a proud and powerful tradition of expressing ourselves through non-violent protest. We trust that those unhappy with today’s grand jury decision will make their views known in the same peaceful, constructive way,” he said.
City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito called the ruling “a terribly disappointing outcome” that ran counter to “the events that led to Eric Garner’s death.” “What makes this even more infuriating is the frequent lack of accountability, which is why I urge the US Department of Justice to launch its own investigation,” she added.
A lawyer for Garner’s family, Jonathan Moore, told the
Associated Press he was “astonished by the decision.”
At
the scene of Garner’s death, outside a beauty supply shop on Bay Street
As he spoke, a man hurled a garbage can at a nearby TV news
truck, prompting Carr to call for peace. “I don’t want it, and Eric wouldn’t
want it,” Carr said. Carr was later seen entering the building that houses the Staten
Island District Attorney’s Office.
In a lengthy statement, DA Dan Donovan said New York law barred him from disclosing any details of what took place during the grand jury’s closed-door proceedings, but said all 23 members had attended every session that took place between Sept. 29 and Wednesday.
Donovan also said he had applied for court permission to “publicly release specific information in connection with this grand jury investigation.” It was unclear exactly what charges prosecutors asked the grand jury to consider filing, or how the vote went.
Under New York law, an indictment must be agreed upon by at least 12 members of a grand jury, which can have up to 23 members. Cellphone video of Garner’s July 17 arrest shows Pantaleo wrestling him to the sidewalk on Bay Street, with the white cop’s arms wrapped around the neck of the black suspect. On the ground, Garner was heard repeatedly yelling “I can’t breathe!” as Pantaleo and other cops held him down and handcuffed him.
The Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Garner’s death a homicide caused by “compression of neck (chokehold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police.” Police union leaders denied that Pantaleo used a chokehold — which is banned by the NYPD — and blasted the autopsy as part of a “political” witch hunt.
Garner’s family has filed notice it plans to sue the city for $75 million on grounds including wrongful death, pre-death pain and suffering, and civil rights violations. The family and adviser Rev. Al Sharpton have also repeatedly called on the feds to investigate his death.
Structure of the Lead:
Who--Eric Garner and two police officer
Why-- Eric Garner’s death was wrongful
What--Cop cleared in chokehold death of
Eric Garner
When--in September
Where--in New York
Keywords :
1. empanel---選任
2. condolences---慰問
3. custody---保管
4. clergy---教士
5. infuriating---氣死人
6. accountability---問責
7. stabbing---刺
8. indictment---起訴書
9. homicide---殺人犯
10. autopsy---驗屍
http://nypost.com/2014/12/03/cop-cleared-in-eric-garner-chokehold-death/
He is a hero in my mind. I wish I can brave enough to make my dream come true. Like what he had done.
回覆刪除I wonder why some white people always think they are the best and always want to bully the African-American.
回覆刪除I hope the law will recover Garner's innocence.
There are something unfair in the world. Some white people always think they are better than black people. I hope that we can live in a fair, peaceful world someday, but there seems a far way to go.
回覆刪除Racial discrimination has been a big issue for many years. The white people should respect other colors people. They are not so great as they think.
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