New York City Officer To Face Disciplinary Trial For Chokehold Death Of Eric Garner
New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo has been on paid desk duty since the July 2014 death of Eric Garner, and will finally face a disciplinary trial in May.
HUNTS POINT, BRONX, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES – 2016/07/17: On the second anniversary of the death of Eric Garner by NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, the Black Lives Matter community organized the Stop The Violence Rally, March and Healing Circle in the South Bronx to remember Eric Garner and other victims of police brutality with a peaceful demonstration around the neighborhood culminating the march at the 41th Precinct where participants held a moment of silence followed by chanting “I CAN’T BREATHE” 11 times as Eric Garner did before his tragic death by an illegal choke-hold. (Photo by Erik McGregor/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
It’s been four long years on the road to justice for Eric Garner, but on Thursday, an administrative judge set New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo’s trial date for May.
As NBC New York notes, Pantaleo is accused in the chokehold death of Garner, a restraint banned by the New York Police Department and a restraint that the medical examiner said contributed to the 43-year-old father’s July 2014 death.
Footage of Garner’s final moments shocked and inflamed the nation, after he was heard repeatedly pleading on camera “I can’t breathe,” even as Pantaleo kept his arm locked around his neck.
Ever since the 2014 encounter on Staten Island that left Garner dead, Pantaleo has been on paid desk duty. A grand jury had previously declined to indict Pantaleo over Garner’s death. And now it all comes down to this, with the Administrative Prosecution Unit of the Civilian Complaint Review Board set to prosecute the case against the cop.
