Moving forward after the Garner case
The decision of a Staten Island grand jury on Wednesday, December 3 not to indict 29-year-old NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo for the death of Eric Garner has unleashed a flurry of activity, both with respect to the Garner case as well as to set in place a process when unarmed civilians are killed by law enforcement officers.
Pantaleo allegedly used a chokehold on the victim, who did not have a weapon, while trying to arrest Garner for selling untaxed cigarettes on July 17, 2013. Garner, who was videotaped repeatedly saying “I can’t breathe,” died as a result of neck compression.
On Monday, December 8, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a letter urged Governor Andrew Cuomo to take executive action directing the office of the attorney general to investigate, and prosecute if warranted, such cases, going forward.