Grand jury votes against criminal charges in Eric Garner case, elected officials chime in
Elected officials have begun reacting to the news that a Staten Island grand jury has voted not to indict 29-year-old NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, who used a chokehold on Eric Garner as officers arrested him for allegedly selling untaxed cigarette outside a beauty store in Staten Island on July 17, 2014. Garner died minutes later of neck compression. He was 43 years old.
“This was a terribly disappointing outcome and is not reflective of the events that led to Eric Garner’s death,” said New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, who, along with U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, is urging the U.S. Department of Justice to launch its own investigation.
“Nobody unarmed should die on a New York City street corner for suspected low-level offenses,” Gillibrand said. “I’m shocked by this grand jury decision, and will be calling on the Department of Justice to investigate.”