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Victim: Eric Garner

Perpetrator

Victim

Date:

2014-07-17

Location:

Staten Island, New York


What happened:

On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner died in Staten Island, New York City, after a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer Pantaleo put him in a headlock or chokehold for about 15 to 19 seconds while arresting him. Placing suspects in a chokehold is a tactic banned by the department since 1993. Officer Pantaleo denied choking Garner, but the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office report stated “Cause of Death: Compression of neck (choke hold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police” and “Contributing Conditions: Acute and chronic bronchial asthma; Obesity; Hypertensive cardiovascular disease”. The medical examiner ruled Garner’s death a homicide–“a death caused by the intentional actions of another person or persons, which is not necessarily an intentional death or a criminal death.” 

NYPD officers approached Garner on suspicion of selling single cigarettes from packs without tax stamps. After Garner told the police that he was tired of being harassed and that he was not selling cigarettes, the officers went to arrest Garner. When officer Daniel Pantaleo tried to take Garner’s wrist behind his back, Garner pulled his arms away. Pantaleo then put his arm around Garner’s neck and took him down onto the ground. After Pantaleo removed his arm from Garner’s neck, he pushed the side of Garner’s face into the ground while four officers moved to restrain Garner, who repeated “I can’t breathe” eleven times while lying face down on the sidewalk. After Garner lost consciousness, officers turned him onto his side to ease his breathing. Garner remained lying on the sidewalk for seven minutes while the officers waited for an ambulance to arrive.

The officers and emergency medical technicians did not perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Garner at the scene; according to a spokesman for the PBA, this was because they believed that Garner was breathing and that it would be improper to perform CPR on someone who was still breathing. He was pronounced dead at the hospital approximately one hour later.


About The Perpetrator:

Daniel Pantaleo is a White male.

At the time of Eric Garner’s death, Pantaleo was 29 years of age, was living in Eltingville, Staten Island, and had been an NYC officer of 8 years.  Pantaleo was the subject of 2 civil rights lawsuits in 2013 where plaintiffs accused Pantaleo of falsely arresting them and abusing them.

 

In the first suit, two men, Darren Collins and Tommy Rice, claimed Pantaleo and other officers stopped and strip-searched them in broad daylight while they were driving. The officers handcuffed Collins and Rice and “Pantaleo and/or Conca pulled down the plaintiff’s pants and underwear, and touched and searched their genital areas, or stood by while this was done in their presence,” the lawsuit alleged. The plaintiffs allege that Pantaleo had falsely claimed that he saw crack and heroin in plain view, on the vehicle’s back seat, allowing the officers to arrest everyone in the car.  The two men each received $15,000 settlements from the city.

 

Pantaleo moved from his home after Garner’s death due to death threats.


About The Victim:

Eric Garner was an African American male and was 43 years of age at the time of his death. He was also asthmatic and a father of six.


Outcome:

On December 3, 2014, the Richmond County grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo. On that day, the United States Department of Justice announced it would conduct an independent investigation. The event stirred public protests and rallies, with charges of police brutality made by protesters. By December 28, 2014, at least 50 demonstrations had been held nationwide specifically for Garner while hundreds of demonstrations against general police brutality counted Garner as a focal point.
On July 13, 2015, an out-of-court settlement was announced in which the City of New York would pay the Garner family $5.9 million.
Sources:
https://nypost.com/2014/07/18/man-dies-after-suffering-heart-attack-during-arrest/
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/funeral-today-eric-garner-article-1.1877381

EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENTS: The disturbing secret history of the NYPD officer who killed Eric Garner


Sources:

man Dies After Suffering Heart Attack During Arrest;  Relatives, Friends Say Goodbye To Eric Garner;  ; 

Officer Daniel Pantaleo

Perpetrator

Victim

Date:

2014-07-17

Location:

Staten Island, New York 


What happened:

On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner died in Staten Island, New York City, after a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer Pantaleo put him in a headlock or chokehold for about 15 to 19 seconds while arresting him. Placing suspects in a chokehold is a tactic banned by the department since 1993. Officer Pantaleo denied choking Garner, but the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office report stated “Cause of Death: Compression of neck (choke hold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police” and “Contributing Conditions: Acute and chronic bronchial asthma; Obesity; Hypertensive cardiovascular disease”. The medical examiner ruled Garner’s death a homicide–“a death caused by the intentional actions of another person or persons, which is not necessarily an intentional death or a criminal death.” 

NYPD officers approached Garner on suspicion of selling single cigarettes from packs without tax stamps. After Garner told the police that he was tired of being harassed and that he was not selling cigarettes, the officers went to arrest Garner. When officer Daniel Pantaleo tried to take Garner’s wrist behind his back, Garner pulled his arms away. Pantaleo then put his arm around Garner’s neck and took him down onto the ground. After Pantaleo removed his arm from Garner’s neck, he pushed the side of Garner’s face into the ground while four officers moved to restrain Garner, who repeated “I can’t breathe” eleven times while lying face down on the sidewalk. After Garner lost consciousness, officers turned him onto his side to ease his breathing. Garner remained lying on the sidewalk for seven minutes while the officers waited for an ambulance to arrive.

The officers and emergency medical technicians did not perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Garner at the scene; according to a spokesman for the PBA, this was because they believed that Garner was breathing and that it would be improper to perform CPR on someone who was still breathing. He was pronounced dead at the hospital approximately one hour later.


About The Perpetrator:

Daniel Pantaleo is a White male.

At the time of Eric Garner’s death, Pantaleo was 29 years of age, was living in Eltingville, Staten Island, and had been an NYC officer of 8 years.  Pantaleo was the subject of 2 civil rights lawsuits in 2013 where plaintiffs accused Pantaleo of falsely arresting them and abusing them.

In the first suit, two men, Darren Collins and Tommy Rice, claimed Pantaleo and other officers stopped and strip-searched them in broad daylight while they were driving. The officers handcuffed Collins and Rice and “Pantaleo and/or Conca pulled down the plaintiff’s pants and underwear, and touched and searched their genital areas, or stood by while this was done in their presence,” the lawsuit alleged. The plaintiffs allege that Pantaleo had falsely claimed that he saw crack and heroin in plain view, on the vehicle’s back seat, allowing the officers to arrest everyone in the car.  The two men each received $15,000 settlements from the city.

Pantaleo moved from his home after Garner’s death due to death threats.


About The Victim:

Eric Garner was an African American male and was 43 years of age at the time of his death. He was also asthmatic and a father of six.


Outcome:

On December 3, 2014, the Richmond County grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo. On that day, the United States Department of Justice announced it would conduct an independent investigation. The event stirred public protests and rallies, with charges of police brutality made by protesters. By December 28, 2014, at least 50 demonstrations had been held nationwide specifically for Garner while hundreds of demonstrations against general police brutality counted Garner as a focal point.

On July 13, 2015, an out-of-court settlement was announced in which the City of New York would pay the Garner family $5.9 million.

Sources:

  • https://nypost.com/2014/07/18/man-dies-after-suffering-heart-attack-during-arrest
  • http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/funeral-today-eric-garner-article-1.1877381
  • https://thinkprogress.org/daniel-pantaleo-records-75833e6168f3
  • https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/14/nyregion/eric-garner-case-is-settled-by-new-york-city-for-5-9-million.html?smid=pl-share

Sources:

Man Dies After Suffering Heart Attack During Arrest;  Relatives, Friends Say Goodbye to Eric Garner;  The Disturbing Secret History of the NYPD Officer Who Killed Eric Garner;  Eric Garner Case is Settled by NY City for $5.9 Million;