No Charges in Eric Garner Chokehold Case for Officer

[Ykcutnek]

Source: New York Times

A Staten Island grand jury has voted not to bring criminal charges against the white New York City police officer at the center of the Eric Garner case, a person briefed on the matter said Wednesday.

The decision was reached on Wednesday after months of testimony including from the officer, Daniel Pantaleo, who used a chokehold to restrain Mr. Garner, who died after a confrontation. It came less than two weeks after a grand jury in Ferguson, Mo., declined to bring charges against a white officer who fatally shot an unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown.

For days, the New York City Police Department has been readying for a new round of protests, which began in the city after the Ferguson decision and which were expected to continue and possibly grow if the grand jury declined to bring charges against the officer.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/04/nyregion/no-charges-in-eric-garner-chokehold-case-for-officer.html?_r=0

[big_dog]

1. the thin blue line strikes again, even police cameras dont make a difference...unbelieveable!

[marym625]

76. camera and no choke hold allowed

Cops have complete autonomy when it comes to killing someone

[0rganism]

105. i'm getting the distinct feeling that the blue line is not very thin

it seems to run thick and deep straight through every courthouse in America

[7962]

2. Notice the end of the article:

"Mr. Garner’s death hastened an effort to retrain all the department’s patrol officers and brought scrutiny on how officers who violate its rules are disciplined. Officer Pantaleo has been stripped of his gun and badge.

It was unclear whether Officer Pantaleo would return to enforcement duties. He still faces potential punishment from the Police Department, including possible termination."


The chokehold was banned for use by the police dept. He should be FIRED!!!!!

[NYC Liberal]

13. People get fired every day for breaking much more inconsequential rules than that!

Being fired is the least that should happen.

[leftynyc]

23. Police union will get him reinstated

Unless the DA decides to charges anyway (or the feds) which I don't think will happen.

[7962]

39. Another reason I dont blindly support unions.

NYC has the same problem with the teachers union protecting bad teachers.
Its ridiculous.

[leftynyc]

43. Agree

Although one thing came to mind - the chokehold, while not against NY law, is against police policy. They could fire him (or keep him fired really) over that. Will they? No idea.

[Dustlawyer]

91. No system is perfect though we must always strive to improve, but with no organized opposition

from workers, employers are free to abuse them and create unsafe work places to save money. Part of the unions job is to defend their workers, many of whom are innocent of whatever the company is trying to frame them with. The workers who are deserving of some sort of punishment usually lose at arbitration. The bottom line is it is much worse when the employers have no opposition.

[happyslug]

111. If the Officer violated a KNOWN rule, no union will be able to save his job

Now, I have seen situations where the Union is BLAMED for NOT firing or reinstating an employee fired for cause, but in almost all of those cases, it was the EMPLOYER who did the rehiring for its own reasons NOT the Union.

If you violate a known work rule that is a termination offence, no union can save you, IF THE EMPLOYER REALLY WANTS THAT EMPLOYEE GONE. I hate to say this, that is rarely the case.

A complication when it comes to Police Officers is that they are Civil Service AND since their employer is a government agency, they have a "Property Right" to keep their jobs. The property right is from US Supreme Court decisions that point out anything that is a grant from the government is a property right, be it a piece of land or a job.

Thus, Police can NOT be fired, other then for good cause (which includes closing the Police Department and reducing the number of officers on the Police Force). Good Cause includes a violation of a known work rule, that is consistently enforced (the Government Employer can not say, "You are fired for using a choke hold" when other officers have used a choke hold and NOT been fired AND the ban on Chokeholds existed during both use of Chokeholds).

These three concepts relate to each other, but you also have to consisted Politics. Most Police Departments are creations of their municipal governments. Thus the officers, even ones known to break the rules, tend to have political allies among the politicians AND a lot of Police Officers vote, even in off year elections, and can turn an elections if they dislike a certain Politician.

Just a comment that it is almost impossible for a union, as a union, to save someone's job after he or she has violated an enforced and well known work rule. The Union can use its clout in off year elections, it can use its clouts with the voters and political leaders and the Union can scream to the press why an officer should NOT be punished. In Court the Union will LOSE unless the Government Employer is just going through the motions of terminating the Officer (i.e fire the officer, but in such a way any court will find a denial of Due Process, a violation of someone's property right to the job or other invalid justification thus avoiding the issue of violating a know work rule, so the court has to rule to reinstate the officer. The Politicians blame the union, but the fault is often those politicians for those politicians do NOT want to fire the Officer, but also wants to appear to be concerned about the victims of such police violence. Thus the leadership of the Police Department and/or the Local Politicians get to blame the evil Union, not themselves for keeping the officers.

[Live and Learn]

118. +1 nt

[leftynyc]

122. Is the union under obligation

to defend the cop even if he did break police policy? I also see where they're trying to say it wasn't a choke hold. There was some schmuck on CNN saying if you can say the words I Can't Breathe, you obviously can breathe. I wanted to kick him in the nuts.

[happyslug]

125. As to defending the officer, the union has the obligation

My father told me the story of his union steward complaining of having to go to a hearing about another Postal Worker who had stolen some mail. The Union Steward was complaining of having to go, for the Postal Worker was clearly guilty of stealing mail and that was a KNOWN work rule violation. My Father reminded the Union Steward, that as a Union Steward he had to go for the Postal Worker was still a Union Member and the Union had a duty to ALL of its members to represent them in such terminations. On the other hand both my father and the Union Steward knew the Postal Service had the evidence to fire the Postal Worker, thus all the Union was doing was going through the motions.

Many Public Defenders do the same thing with their clients, i.e. the defendant has the right to an attorney, but if the District Attorney has the evidence, the Defendant is going to jail no matter what the Defense Attorney does. In many ways it is a "Waste" of Public Defender's time, except that the Defendant, even if Guilty, has the right to have an attorney just like a union member has the right to have a Union Representative in any termination procedure. District Attorneys (and Management in labor cases) do a more detail job do to the knowledge that the Defendant has an attorney (and management does a better job detailing the grounds for termination if a union is involved).

The Union by representing even the "Guilty" is protecting the rest of the Union membership from arbitrary terminations by fighting these cases and forcing Management to do their jobs. Thus the Union representing this officer is a good thing, even if he is later terminated. Such Representation of the union member makes sure the termination is for "good cause" or a violation of a known work rule, not because management just dislikes that employee. . That is the goal of the Union and why they MUST represent even the Guilty in such terminations.

[leftynyc]

126. Got it

I'm a big believer in everyone gets a defense so I understand the argument used for the unions defending all their members.

[heaven05]

54. I'll believe he is fired

when I read it in a publication/forum I trust.

[edbermac]

3. No charges, no surprises.

[DeSwiss]

4. A black man's life.....

...ain't worth loosies or cigarillos in this goddamned fucking country.

- K&R






''If we don't fight now, I guess we'll have to be kicked.....''

[big_dog]

6. killed over a bunch of god damned rolled cigarettes, this country should be ashamed! (once again)

Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown now Eric Garner....take the cops guns away and give them pepper spray, mace and stun guns on foot patrol

[ncjustice80]

75. Yup.

Cops guns create far more problems than they serve.

[GeorgeGist]

5. Racists are sick.

[savalez]

7. That's CRAZY! Aren't chokeholds against police rules?

[calimary]

17. From what I've heard from the reporting, chokeholds are illegal by New York State LAW.

W.T. F. ??!?!?!!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!??!

This is just unbelievable!!! OUTRAGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SummerSnow]

19. Chokeholds are legal when you're taking down a black person.

[leftynyc]

44. Not against NYS law

but is against police procedures and policy. They could keep him off the job for that but I have no idea if they will.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

57. Purposely chokeholding or strangling someone to death is a crime

Using a chokehold to restrain someone is probably a crime in some states and not in others when it comes to law enforcement. According to reporting, it is against New York City police policy, but not against New York law, so he should lose his job.

It was once used in psychiatric facilities, as well.

[leftynyc]

66. That's exactly what I said

Not against NY law but against police policy. He may be kept off the force for that.

[7962]

41. They're illegal in NYPD. They could use that to fire him.

[Man from Pickens]

102. But they won't

cops protect their own, first and only - and to hell with everyone else

[ellenrr]

8. big surprise! sh*t

[noiretextatique]

9. america's official position: white cops can kill black males at will

if the feds don't do something, the garner family should go to the UN too. and the rice family, and the other families who will lose a son, or a brother or a father BECAUSE of these FAILURES of our justus system.

[Amishman]

48. The UN is a waste of time

They have absolutely zero power to do anything constructive within territory controlled by a major power.

This is something we have to fix ourselves.

[noiretextatique]

63. the only point would be to SHAME america

and i totally support that shaming.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Open season. nt

[left_of_center]

11. huh???

This makes no sense!

[Loki]

12. Armed and dangerous gangs roaming this country

And I don't mean criminals, it's our own police departments. Apparently a video and a coroners finding of homocide will not convince a grand jury to send a bill to indict. We are all in danger now.

[Duval]

24. Loki, I'm white and I'm also

becoming afraid of the police. This is a sad day for Justice!

[heaven05]

59. Oh ,a huge portion of the 99%

have a day of reckoning coming from their vaunted protectors, black people in the 99% just have a generations old headstart.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

67. Change the laws.

Change the policies. Better selection of LE candidates. Better training.

More minority representation among LE.

Many things can and should be changed.

[blackspade]

113. Call it my generally rebellious nature....

But I have never trusted the cops as an institution.
I have had several friends over the years that were cops, and even they don't trust other cops.

The distrust, fear, and loathing has been well earned by the gang in blue.

[99th_Monkey]

40. This is a very sad day for our country. Cops now have license to murder citizens, at-will

for whatever lame-ass reason the cops dream up, like "selling a single cigarette" while black.

This is racism yes. Pure and simple.

But fascism is fascism, and this my dear friend is fascism, all doubt has been removed.

Which means that sooner or later (probably sooner) the goons with badges and guns will start targeting whites as well, for looking at them the wrong way, or questioning their right to murder black citizens.

[7962]

42. "soon"? Its BEEN happening. Someone posted several links the other day

about a number of cop killings of whites. I've been saying it for a long time; its a POLICE problem more than a race problem.
They want ALL of us to obey whatever order they give us. They're usually guys who couldnt make it in the military but want that respect. And they feed off of our fear. Thugs in uniform.

[99th_Monkey]

45. True dat.

I didn't mean cops don't already murder whites they don't like, ... as someone said on another string,
this isn't a race problem as much as it is a police problem, and it's completely out of control
by all appearances.

I had high hopes for Obama's "commission" on police violence until I heard who he appointed to head
it up, a cop with a history of abusing citizens. http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025902674

[Amishman]

51. The fix is in

and we are on our own.

[7962]

114. When I hear O'Reilly, Napolitano, etc, saying this is wrong, things are changing. And they have.

And I've heard that tonight on Fox NEws, among other commentators. Napolitano saying he couldnt understand the grand jury decision. O'Reilly even showing the video and shaking his head after its over. I think, and have always thought, that THIS case should have had the focus, not Ferguson.
I posted this earlier in the week showing black cops killing whites for no reason, saying its a police problem.http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5887997

[99th_Monkey]

116. Wow.

This is the real deal.

Rubber meets Road.

Not very many US citizens are clambering to be under a draconian police state ...

Has Koch Bros. jumped the shark?

I DO THINK SO.

[sinkingfeeling]

14. What the hell is wrong in this country with grand juries? Do only people who

worship cops get selected for them?

[calimary]

15. Oh. My. God.

There are no words...

I am just freakin' stunned.

I CANNOT BELIEVE I STILL HAVE TO PROTEST THIS SHIT... Hell, I CANNOT BELIEVE this shit still goes on with impunity!!!!!

[img][/img]

[big_dog]

25. its so true, someone needs to make a t-shirt

[calimary]

127. Keeper! Another excellent photo, big_dog. Thanks for posting this!

As a woman, watching Roe v Wade slowly die of a thousand cuts (while our team does precisely NOTHING to stop it), that's how I feel every day. That's how I felt before Michael Brown. That's how I felt before the last election - and the one before it - and the one before that, too. Etc. Etc.

We fought hard for that one back in the '70s. We came up short with the ERA, but we got this one. While OUR side snoozed and slept and under-estimated the zeal and fervor of the enemy, and simply assumed that because WE saw it as "settled law" (heard that one come up, anyone?) the other side would, also. AND THEY DON'T. AND OUR SIDE SLEPT. AND THEIR SIDE DIDN'T!!!!

And more women will die. And more babies, too. More infants and just-borns and not-quite-yet borns will be found in dumpsters and back alleys and everyone will wring their hands and clutch their pearls and sigh about how horrible that is. But letting a woman control her own body? NOPE!!!!! And they're coming after BIRTH CONTROL NOW, TOO.

And more women will die. Because abortion, and the need for it, will NOT stop. It will only be forced underground. Where the conditions aren't safe or protected or regulated. And more women will die.

[JimDandy]

16. Apparently Black lives aren't worth anything

to grand juries in this country.

[IcyPeas]

18. Unbelievable

I watched that video and was horrified how the cops surrounded Mr. Garner like a pack of animals and then killed him. IT WAS RIGHT ON CAMERA. THEY KILLED HIM. They killed him. He was just standing there.

I can't believe this. I really can't.

[Duval]

20. Oh, hell! This is just

going to make things worse. We all saw the video. Sigh!

[leftynyc]

21. Staten Island

The most conservative borough with a heavy blue collar community and many many police officers live there. This is a disgrace and I'm embarrassed for my city today.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

22. Anyone know how many grand jurors?

and 12 would have to agreed to prosecute. I thought I heard 23 jurors on CNN just now, but 12 out of 23 just doesn't sound right.

Jurors probably couldn't figure out who killed him.

He was obese, had heart trouble, and asthma. The guy sitting on his chest could have been indicted, as well, but I guess no one knew, although I'd say they could have a pretty good idea that an obese person might have more trouble breathing.

Chokeholds are also not against New York state law, so no law was actually broken. The New York police policy does not allow chokeholds, so the officer indicted should lose his job.

Mr. Garner had about 30 previous arrests (lots of minor arrests, mostly for looses), so he definitely knew the drill.

At least one officer should lose his job, but I don't know that anything else will be done.

[big_dog]

28. it was something like 9 out of 12 in Ferguson had to vote for charges

which would be a something like 17 out of 23 in New York

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

37. Please don't go there.

It makes no difference that he was overweight or had heart trouble or asthma. It makes no difference he had been arrested before. What on God's green earth is so fucking crucial about illegal cigarettes that it leads to this? It's senseless and the latest example of institutionalized racism (meaning the need to exert excessive authority over a citizen of color).
This has got to stop or the damage to our nation will be massive.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

49. Of course, it makes a difference

People with heart trouble and asthma are at higher risk of death. It's common sense, and police officers should get training in that, since obesity can lead to smaller airways. It doesn't take 10 years of medical training to make police officers aware of this.

[BronxBoy]

65. So obviously....

they shouldn't be fucking strangled...

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

96. Why did they feel it nexcessary to escalate the encounter?

The cops hold all the cards in most any situation. What occurred to make it end up like this? No matter what the man said or did, when the officer exerted his authority, the trouble started. I contend he did that more readily than he would have had the man been white

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

97. I'm not disagreeing. :)

nt

[A Simple Game]

47. Google doesn't seem to agree with you about choking and the law.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=NYS%20law%20against%20choking

The police need to start being charged with the same infractions the rest of us would.

[BronxBoy]

55. What the fuck is the matter with you??????

That officer knew the drill as well which included 'NO FUCKING CHOKEHOLDS"

Did you know that the city had to pay out at least one settlement on behalf of Officer Panteleone and another is winding it's way through the courts...

But instead you focus on the Black man who should have known better. Black people are getting some fucking tired of people like you

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

61. No, I'm focusing on the facts

Officers should lose their job over this.

A man lost his life and it is tragic. Without doubt. But some people like to discuss the issues and facts of legal cases. Maybe there should be a separate thread for that????

[BronxBoy]

64. And I did present you with facts....

You only seem to be focusing on those that concern Mr. Garner who is DEAD.

Why do we need another thread to discuss an out of control cop who should have been booted off the force long ago. Black people are tired of people like you pretending that facts about White, out of control cops don't fucking matter.

[heaven05]

71. maybe a different forum?

for you....

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

72. I'd like to see the facts that didn't include some kind of

involuntary manslaughter.

I don't think this would have ever been a murder 1 charge because of the health complications, but it should have at least gotten a manslaughter charge. I really want to see the facts.

The guy sitting on his chest could have just as easily killed him.

[heaven05]

62. there you are again

Mr. Garner was a criminal so he deserved his death, implied. GOD!!! Will this BS ever be done with?

[BronxBoy]

69. People like her are full of shit......

and is probably a large part of the reason that this bullshit continues to happen

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

80. Actually, people like me are discussing facts

I hope you got to see Attorney Crump on CNN just now.

He explained why there was no indictment, and why there should have been an indictment.

All the police officers involved were given immunity with the exception of the one who engaged in the chokehold.

That was a big mistake, and maybe made on purpose.

You can't prove which officer killed the man. They all played a part. It could have been the officer sitting on his chest.

The case was badly handled, and while I don't think any officer would have been prosecuted or convicted for murder 1, there is no way a prosecutor couldn't have gotten a manslaughter charge, at the very least.

[BronxBoy]

81. Except when it comes to the officer....

How does "Eric Garner knew the drill" equate to the facts??????

I stand by what I say

[7962]

123. Manslaughter or officer misconduct at the very least. nt

[Live and Learn]

119. +1 nt

[HereSince1628]

26. The thin blue line seems nontheless very long on privilege.

The true character of society is defined by how we treat the least of our fellow citizens.

Eric Garner wasn't the least deserving of justice; at this moment our character is looking very, very damned flawed.

[cannabis_flower]

110. Thinking about how bad things have become..

reminds me of the scene in Clockwork Orange where Alex is beat up by his "droogs" who had joined a new gang - the police.

[rdking647]

27. maybe what needs to be done is a massive protest in new york

prevent the new york stock exchange from opening. or force times square/broadway to go dark for a couple of days.
maybe if it starts to hit the NYC economy people will wake up to the out of control police in this country

[leftynyc]

30. Well, the tree lighting is today

and I just saw a tweet about a protest at Grand Central Station at 4:30. We will not be ignoring this.

[leftynyc]

29. Just heard a protest was planned

for Grand Central Station at 4:30. I head up there at 5 for my commute home and plan on joining the protesters (if it remains peaceful).

[jillan]

32. Awesome! I hope it happens. If you go, please take pics. And be safe!

[leftynyc]

35. Will do

If anyone is watching TV and sees something going on up there I need to avoid, please let me know.

[jillan]

36. Keep checking in.

[leftynyc]

100. Just got home

Grand Central was packed. There was a "die in" right in the center by the clock (anyone who has been to gct knows what I mean) and a lot of people standing in support. White faces, black faces, brown faces. This has certainly gotten the attention of the people here in NY. There were plenty of cops but they weren't interferring at all and mostly just standing with their hands in their pockets. I'd also like to point out the cops were in regular uniforms - no helmets, no long guns, no military type equipment and although the national guard has been a presence there since 9/11, I didn't see any around the protesters. I understand a crowd was heading up to the tree lighting and am going to switch on the tv to see what's happening there. So far, it's all peaceful.

[dorkzilla]

87. Cops are outside on 42nd st right now

...and some on Vanderbilt but the news reporter said they were there in case the protest inside got out of hand.

I think a LOT of people are just hearing the news.

[leftynyc]

101. Many in grand central

didn't know what was going on and when told many were wide eyed and shaking their heads. Everything was peaceful while I was there.

[dorkzilla]

103. Lots more have popped up since you first posted

I was watching the local NBC station and several protests were popping up all over the City and gaining momentum. I'm glad to see its peaceful. If this news feels like a kick in the stomach for a middle aged white woman, I can't imagine how the AA community is feeling...

[leftynyc]

121. I'm a fellow middle aged women

I felt something yesterday I hadn't felt in a very long time - despair. I never really expected an indictment in Ferguson so I wasn't surprised but yesterday was like a kick in the stomach. I'm glad the feds are getting involved. I, like you, can't even imagine what African American mothers are telling their sons today. They have to worry every single time their sons leave their homes. That's no way to live. Thankfully our mayor knows exactly how it feels.

[Lil Missy]

31. Good Gawd

[Bragi]

33. NYC Started #Occupy, do it again for #EricGarner. nt

[uppityperson]

34. wtf? 7 min after, unconcious, handcuffed >5 min. Do cops really not know cpr? He's breathing? wtf?

[cpwm17]

99. This video may have been worse than the other

since nobody there showed any concern for the victim, and the parametics seem intimidating by the situation and didn't help. The parametics were suspended without pay.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Staten-Island-Chokehold-Arrest-Death-Staten-Island-Eric-Garner-Video-NYPD-267913291.html

Four EMS workers who responded to the arrest of a man who later died in police custody have been suspended without pay two days after an eight-year veteran of the NYPD was stripped of his badge and gun for allegedly using a chokehold while handcuffing the man.

The EMS workers, who have not been identified, included two EMTs and two paramedics. The workers are not city employees but work for Richmond University Medical Center, according to the FDNY. They were first placed on modified duty, and then hospital officials announced Monday the workers were being suspended and would not be allowed to work at the hospital or throughout the 911 system.

Cellphone video captured the arrest of 43-year-old Eric Garner Thursday evening, and showed him saying "I can't breathe, I can't breathe" as he was brought to the ground by an officer using a chokehold, a tactic prohibited by NYPD policy.

A friend of the victim showed NBC 4 New York new cellphone video Monday that showed the response moments later as Garner lay on the ground, not moving: the paramedics, EMTs and police peer over Garner, and none administer CPR.

[Red State Rebel]

38. Shocked!! What evidence brought this about????

[nolabear]

46. Just saw FOX worry that tonight's tree lighting might be disrupted.

That would be what they'd worry about, wouldn't it? Might be a real possibility, but A MAN IS DEAD HERE! Somebody? Anybody?

[frylock]

50. they're afraid of someone pissing on their "War on Christmas" parade

[nolabear]

60. ...

[ChazII]

104. Watching a bit of Greta

and she is disappointed that the grand jury decided not to bring charges. When Mr. Garner said he could not breathe should have been a big clue to the officers to back off. Like people here, she also said that the video speaks for itself.

[nolabear]

107. Good to hear it.

I won't even be snarky. It's good to hear it. This is some sad stuff.

[adigal]

108. I hope it is - this has got to stop - it's open season on black men

I've had two traffic stops by Staten Island cops in the last year. The cops were bullies, nasty, intimidating and unprofessional assholes. And Im a 53 year old professional woman! They need to be retrained or fired.

[nolabear]

109. Me too. I am so privileged I'm embarrassed and I was treated like dirt.

It was a simple traffic stop, and it was a mistake by me. And that man treated me as though I was some strange combination of unpredictably dangerous and beneath contempt. I'm about to be 60. My hair is white. I had NEVER had a ticket. I was scared shitless.

I cannot imagine being a young African American man. The PTSD running through those psyches can't be anything but horrendous.

[heaven05]

52. of course!

Hey, he was selling unlicensed cigarettes, so he deserved to be choked to death. Oh and he was reaching into his waist, and oh oh, he was resisting and oh oh oh, he was black and what difference does it make...... expected!!! Staten Island is just as bad as ferguson if you know what I mean.

[BronxBoy]

88. And we don't even know if that is even true...

Supposedly, some witnesses say he had just broken up a fight. In the video, he clearly says he wasn't doing anything and he was tired of being harassed.

Tell a lie long enough.......

[heaven05]

92. exactly

[d_b]

53. Sick, corrupt fucks. Only a matter of time before

another eric frien/chris dorner type comes along

[dorkzilla]

68. How the fuck did this happen if the ME ruled Garner's death a homicide?????????

This is FUCKING.UNBELIEVABLE.

[NeoConsSuck]

79. That is really troubling...

the medical examiner ruled it a homicide, the grand jury ignored that.

[dorkzilla]

84. Surely that would be the MOST IMPORTANT fact given to the grand jury???????

I can't wrap my head around this. I really can't.

[Paper Roses]

70. Do the laws not apply if you wear a police uniform? Sickening. n/t

[Spitfire of ATJ]

73. This tells the little people they can be killed for free.

[secondwind]

74. This is a total travesty of justice.. totally unbelievable!

[blackspade]

77. Another murdering cop walks.

These results only underscore the sham that is our legal system

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

78. Crump is on CNN right now

He's explaining why there's no indictment.

All the other police officers received immunity to testify against the officer who had Mr. Garner in a chokehold.

THAT was the first mistake, because it could not be proved that the chokehold is what killed him.

They should never have been given immunity, and the tape should have spoken for itself.

[BronxBoy]

82. There's always a fucking excuse....

Don't you think we're tired of them?????

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

83. It's not an excuse

The case was handled badly as soon as the officers were granted immunity.

The prosecutor was wrong to do that, since he had plenty of evidence with that visual recording.

I hope the family gets a big settlement.

[BronxBoy]

89. Yeah it is....

And Black America is tired of fucking excuses when it come us getting killed by the cops. SICK AND FUCKING TIRED OF IT!!!!!!

One of the first things out of your mouth was that Eric Garner was obese and overweight and should have known the drill. Not a single word about how if Panteleon wasn't an out of control cop and had been taken off the streets off the streets the first 2 times assault complaints were brought against him, we probably wouldn't even been discussing this right now.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

93. Well, I didn't know about the first two complaints

And, yes, Eric Garner's obesity should be a lesson to all police officers . They don't need freaking medical degrees to understand that.

Obese people have narrowed airways, and fat around the heart and lungs. They can suffocate more easily. This should be a lesson to every cop in the country.

The man was saying he couldn't breathe, and they didn't believe him, probably because if they did the same thing to a normal weight person he wouldn't have stopped breathing!

Laws need to be changed and cops need to be properly educated in how to deal with members of minority groups, people with disabilities, the mentally ill, and, yes, even obese people.

It was obviously excessive force that caused this man's death. There's no doubt about that.

[BronxBoy]

94. Well now you know....

One settled and one working it's way through the courts.

Remember that the next time you want to be critical of a victim of police violence. Culpability is a two way street

[staggerleem]

85. In this case, as in Ferguson, MO ...

... the district attorney, who is SUPPOSED to be a prosecutor, decided to behave as if he were a defense attorney for the police officer/defendant.

A couple of years ago, I spent two months on a Grand Jury in Orange County, NY. We met two or three days a week, and heard an average of a dozen cases each day. We heard testimony from arresting officers, from expert witnesses and, on rare occasion, from victims - NEVER, in any of those cases, did we hear a single word from the accused!

In all the cases we heard, I believe we did NOT bring an indictment on two, or perhaps three cases. There are a few lawyers on my wife's side of the family, and it's a common saying among lawyers that a decent prosecutor should be able to get a Grand Jury to bring an indictment against a plate of scrambled eggs. These two cases have made one thing fairly plain - that statement is only true if the prosecutor WANTS the defendant to be indicted!

[GitRDun]

90. This is where the focus needs to turn

Two prosecutors made these two decisions happen.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

95. Obviously, laws need changing

and appointing a special prosecutor for these cases would be the first law that should be changed.

[AtheistCrusader]

86. Blue Privilege is starting to piss me off.

[ellenrr]

98. hey, no worry, Pantaleo feels "very bad."

ok I feel better now.

[adigal]

106. Staten Island = Ferguson North

I grew up on Staten Island and it's a lot more like Ferguson that it is like the rest of NYC. Most of the people I know there are deeply racist and cheered for this decision. Family. Sigh.

[christx30]

112. The lesson is to

never stand between New York and the collection of taxes. They will murder you and get away with it.

[Socal31]

115. DOJ not letting this one go.....

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CHOKEHOLD_DEATH_JUSTICE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-12-03-17-54-37

[Odin2005]

117. This is why I laugh at the notion that mandatory cameras on cops would change anything.

[Live and Learn]

120. Cameras are the only reason the public is becoming aware of these

outrageous situations.

I have my own qualms about requiring cameras for officers since I think they will be used to further humiliate people in bad situations.

Still, there can be no denying that without cameras none of these recent situations would have been anything more than a buried news paragraph to the public.

[7962]

124. Yes, look how many bad cops have been exposed because someone had a camera. nt