No federal charges for white officer in Garner chokehold death

Reacting to the decision, the family of Eric Garner, a black man, says ‘we can’t breathe because they let us down’. “Five years ago, my son said ‘I can’t breathe’ 11 times, and today we can’t breathe because they let us down.” A New York grand jury in 2014 declined to charge Pantaleo, who has been assigned to desk duty since Garner’s death and faced a disciplinary trial in May at New York City Police Department headquarters. “CCRB prosecutors presented evidence at trial that showed – unequivocally – that Officer Pantaleo engaged in misconduct worthy of termination.” Chokehold New York’s Police Benevolent Association union welcomed the news. “Scapegoating a good and honourable officer, who was doing his job in the manner he was taught, will not heal the wounds this case has caused for our entire city.” The New York City Chief Medical Examiner’s office ruled that Garner’s death was a homicide induced by “compression of neck, compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police.” Pantaleo’s lawyers have argued he did not use a chokehold, but instead used an authorised “seatbelt” hold that slipped as Garner struggled, and that the officer did not cause Garner’s death. “Officer Pantaleo is gratified that the Justice Department took the time to carefully review the actual evidence in this case rather than the lies and inaccuracies which have followed this case from its inception.” In 2015, New York City officials agreed to pay Garner’s family an out-of-court settlement of $5.9m to resolve a wrongful death lawsuit.