A New York City grand jury has decided that it will not indict the police officer responsible for Eric Garner’s July death, reports NY1.
Garner, a 43-year-old father, was killed in Staten Island last summer after being placed in an illegal chokehold by New York officer Daniel Pantaleo. The entire ordeal was caught on camera by a civilian bystander. Officers approached Garner because they suspected him of selling illegal cigarettes. Garner reportedly resisted arrest, and officers put him in the fatal chokehold, which was ruled a homicide by the coroner.
Earlier today, Garner’s 18-year-old son, Eric Snipes, released a statement to the New York Daily News saying that he didn’t expect violent protests.
“It’s not going to be a Ferguson-like protest because I think everybody knows my father wasn’t a violent man, and they’re going to respect his memory by remaining peaceful,” Snipes said.