Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that they won’t bring criminal charges against a white New York City police officer in the 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner, a black man whose dying words — “I can’t breathe” — became a rallying cry as the nation confronted a long history of police brutality. READ MORE: NYC reaches $5.9 million settlement in chokehold death of Eric Garner
“We are here with heavy hearts, because the DOJ has failed us,” said Carr, who has become a vocal advocate of police reform in the years since her son’s death. “Five years ago, my son said “I can’t breathe” 11 times. Today, we can’t breathe.” The head of Pantaleo’s union said Garner’s death was an “undeniable tragedy,” but that the officer did not cause it.
Garner is heard on bystander video crying out “I can’t breathe” at least 11 times before he falls unconscious. He later died.In the years since Garner’s death, the New York Police Department made a series of sweeping changes on how it relates to the communities it serves, ditching a policy of putting rookie cops in higher-crime precincts in favor of a neighborhood policing model that revolves around community officers tasked with getting to know New Yorkers.
But some activists, including Garner’s family and the relatives of others killed by police, have argued the changes weren’t enough.
i saw the video.. more than 10 times he said he could not breathe and the officers ignored him... they clearly killed him.
globalnews Unbelievable
globalnews Disgusting, I’ve watched his murder several times, the officer who murdered him is free. Yet they charged the cameraman.