21st Century Wire says…
Only a week has passed since rioting, looting and arson broke in Ferguson, Missouri, and another police incident and Grand Jury verdict involving a black victim in New York City – is threatening to push American streets over the edge again tonight…
According to the 23 member Grand Jury that convened in New York, the arrest and subsequent ‘choke-hold’ or carotid restraint administered by officer Daniel Pantaleo of the New York City Police Dept. – did not rise to the level of criminality, so therefore the prosecutor announced there will be no indictment of the officers involved in this case.
This does not however, rule out charges of police misconduct and excessive force which would result in a suspension or dismissal, or a ‘wrongful death’ civil law suit (the use of the choke-hold was already prohibited by policy guidelines issued to NYPD officers) which is likely to be brought against both the officer and the municipality for an estimated $75 million.
Here is the video of the initial altercation and the heavy-handed arrest which followed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1ka4oKu1jo
Watch the video of after Garner was handcuffed, laying motionless on the pavement:
The cause of Garner’s death was “compression of neck (choke-hold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police,” the NYC medical examiner’s office has said. Garner died in custody from complications related to preexisting heart and asthma conditions.
Editor’s Note: A long line of ‘race experts’ and ‘civil rights’ activists’ have been out in force in an attempt, like with the recent Ferguson-Michael Brown case – to frame the Garner case as strictly a ‘racial’ incident, rather than a case of police using excessive force. According to news reports, the Garner Grand Jury in New York was made up of 14 white and nine non-white citizens, with a total of 12 jurors who had heard all evidence and were in agreement before rendering a decision.
The US Justice Department will announce Wednesday that it is opening a federal civil rights investigation into the death of Eric Garner, who was killed by a chokehold at the hands of police.
US Attorney General Eric Holder is expected to make the announcement Wednesday evening, the Washington Post reported, in the wake of a grand jury decision not to indict the police officer responsible for placing Garner in a chokehold. The investigation will consider whether or not police violated Garner’s civil rights.
In order to bring charges against New York Police Department Officer Daniel Pantaleo, the Justice Department will need enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Garner’s rights were violated, and that Pantaleo did so “willfully.”
Garner was killed back in July, when multiple officers targeted him for selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. The 43-year-old Staten Island man was placed in a chokehold by police who tried to arrest him, then taken to the ground. Video footage of the incident was captured by a bystander, during which Garner can be heard yelling that he can’t breathe, but it doesn’t seem as if officers responded to his complaints.
His death was declared a homicide and a grand jury was convened to determine whether Pantaleo would face criminal charges. On Wednesday, however, the jury decided not to indict him.
The lack of indictment sparked large protests in New York City, where hundreds of people gathered in Times Square and near Rockefeller Center to express their anger over the decision. There is concern that some demonstrators may become violent, and city officials have urged people to remain peaceful.
“It’s a very emotional day for our city,” said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, speaking to the public after the decision was made. He said Garner is “a man who should be with us, and now isn’t.”…
READ MORE FERGUSON NEWS AT: 21st Century Wire Ferguson Files
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