While the majority of America has been focused on the fallout in Ferguson, Missouri, after Michael Brown's killer Police Officer Darren Wilson was not indicted, another eerily similar case has been starting to grab real attention. In July, Eric Garner was stopped on a Staten Island street and accused of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes by NYPD officers. As they closed in on Garner, he resisted a bit while asking them not to touch him, but eventually Officer Daniel Pantaleo placed Garner in a chokehold while wrestling him to the ground.
Garner died on that sidewalk and a New York City grand jury has been deliberating since late September over whether or not Pantaleo should be charged, and it looks like their decision is imminent.
This altercation was captured on video and it is absolutely horrific to hear Garner pleading with the officers, telling them flat out, "I can't breathe."
Garner had asthma, and it has been determined that the chokehold combined with that and heart issues ultimately lead to his death. Peaceful protests have been occurring quite regularly in Garner's neighborhood, with many calling for criminal charges to be filed against Pantaleo.
The NYPD has actually banned the use of a chokehold when dealing with various altercations, but it is not illegal to use one in New York State. So while Pantaleo technically broke policy, he did not commit a crime just by doing so. He did testify in front of the grand jury and told his side of what actually occurred.
If you have not already seen it, take a look at the video below and tell us your thoughts. Should Pantaleo be charged with anything at all or was he just doing his job? What would you have done if you were in his shoes?
