Eric Garner death: US orders civil rights inquiry

[Dalit]

The US justice department is to launch a civil rights investigation into the death of Eric Garner, a black man who was placed in an apparent chokehold by a white New York police officer.
The inquiry was announced by Attorney General Eric Holder after a grand jury decided against charging the officer.

That decision prompted street protests in New York. Activists have called for a march in Washington next week.

President Barack Obama said the case spoke to "larger issues".

Mr Garner, 43, was stopped on a street in New York on 17 July on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes.

After a confrontation with police he was wrestled to the ground and restrained by force. He became unresponsive and later died.

America saw a wave of race-related unrest only last week over the decision not to indict another white police officer who had shot dead a young black man in Ferguson, Missouri.

Announcing "an independent, thorough, fair and expeditious" investigation into potential civil rights violations in the chokehold case, Mr Holder said he was continuing a review of how to heal a "breakdown in trust" between police and communities.

The justice department, he said, would conduct a "complete review" of material gathered in the local investigation. "All lives must be valued - all lives," he added.

In isolation, the decision of the grand jury in Staten Island not to indict the white NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo would have sparked anger.

The fact that it came less than 10 days after a grand jury in Missouri decided that the white officer involved in the shooting of Michael Brown should not face criminal charges has amplified the sense of racial injustice felt by those who believe the decision is inexplicable.

In contrast to Ferguson, there is video evidence showing what happened in Staten Island. New York's medical examiner had already ruled that the death of Eric Garner was a homicide, and that the chokehold contributed to it.

Even though America has a black president and a black attorney general, Eric Holder, this will reinforce the widespread feeling in poor African-American communities that the criminal justice system is weighted against them, and that the law is not colour-blind.

'I can't breathe

The confrontation between Eric Garner and police officer Daniel Pantaleo was captured on a mobile phone.

The footage shows Mr Pantaleo and other officers arresting him after a lengthy exchange during which he verbally refuses to be handcuffed.

Several officers move to restrain Mr Garner, with Mr Pantaleo holding him by the neck. The detainee, who is asthmatic, can be heard shouting repeatedly, "I can't breathe!".

City officials found Mr Garner's death was caused by "the compression of his chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police".

Asthma and heart disease also contributed to his death, they said.

Esaw Garner, wife of Eric Garner, broke down into the arms of activist Al Sharpton

When the grand jury decided not to bring charges against Mr Pantaleo, the announcement perplexed legal experts.

Ekow Yankah, a professor at Cardozo School of Law, told the Associated Press it was "hard to understand" how the jury failed to see probably cause of a crime.

James Cohen of Fordham University Law School added: "Logic doesn't play a role in this process."

On the streets protesters marched through New York and other cities in the US late on Wednesday, occasionally disrupting traffic, chanting "I can't breathe!" and "Hands up - don't choke!"

Solidarity protests were held in Oakland, California

In Washington DC, protesters blocked traffic on Highway I-395

Demonstrators also turned out in St Louis, Missouri

The grand jury decision sparked protest in New York and other cities

After the grand jury decision President Obama said: "When anybody in this country is not being treated equally under the law, that is a problem, and it's my job as president to help solve it."

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio called the outcome "one that many in our city did not want" and appealed for a "peaceful, constructive" response.

'Most cruel thing'

Garner family lawyer Jonathon Moore said he was "astonished" by it, and Eric Garner's widow, Esaw Garner, said her husband's death would "not be in vain".

"I'm determined to get justice for my husband, because he shouldn't have been killed in that way," she said.

Mr Garner's daughter, Erica Snipes, told the BBC she was outraged: "On that video you can see the most cruel horrible thing that someone could do to someone. It's just not right."

Civil rights activists Al Sharpton called for a march in Washington on 13 December, saying that state prosecutors worked "hand in hand with the local police".

Mr Pantaleo issued a statement in which he said it had never been his "intention to harm anyone" and that he was praying for Garner and his family.

Mr Pantaleo's lawyer argued he had used a move taught by the police department, not a chokehold which is banned under New York Police Department policy.

Since Mr Garner's death, officers at the largest police department in the US have been ordered to undergo retraining on restraint.

Source: BBC News - Eric Garner death: US orders civil rights inquiry

 

[mike2000]

i was just about to post this news. Its really troublying to see the world's 'most powerful democracy' like the U.S having such internal social issues. what is more shocking is the fact that the grand jury in this case didn't even indict/decide to prosecute the officer involved. It shows there is indeed an insitutional issue with the U.S justice system. since this case is different from other cases before, asit was recorded on video with sound and everything, moreover the crime(selling untaxed loose cigarette.lol) was indeed a minor crime, which people dont even normally get arrested for. Even with all these proves, for the grand Jury not to at least prosecute the officer responsible for this(before even discharging him), is indeed troubling. If they cant prosecute such a crime, then to be honest, i dont see which crime they will prosecute.

This news should be a wake up call(well yet another one.lol) to the U.S, for they seem to be loosing sny moral high ground to be able to keep preaching to other authoritarian countries out there, since these countries themselves can point at U.S own internal issues/right abuses. Its indeed very troubling.

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

i was just about to post this news. Its really troublying to see the world's 'most powerful democracy' like the U.S having such internal social issues. what is more shocking is the fact that the grand jury in this case didn't even indict/decide to prosecute the officer involved. It shows there is indeed an insitutional issue with the U.S justice system. since this case is different from other cases before, asit was recorded on video with sound and everything, moreover the crime(selling untaxed loose cigarette.lol) was indeed a minor crime, which people dont even normally get arrested for. Even with all these proves, for the grand Jury not to at least prosecute the officer responsible for this(before even discharging him), is indeed troubling. If they cant prosecute such a crime, then to be honest, i dont see which crime they will prosecute.

This news should be a wake up call(well yet another one.lol) to the U.S, for they seem to be loosing sny moral high ground to be able to keep preaching to other authoritarian countries out there, since these countries themselves can point at U.S own internal issues/right abuses. Its indeed very troubling.

Happens in England too
Death of Sean Rigg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[mike2000]

Happens in England too
Death of Sean Rigg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

LOOL why are you bringing the U.K into this bro? The topic is about the U.S not U.K.
However since you mentioned the U.K into this, i will indeed keep my impartiality and say YES we as well indeed have a balck racism problem, much like the U.S(though to a far lesser extent than the U.S). Both countries do have issues/problems, its only by recognizing this and taking appropriate actions that we can indeed fixed things. Hopefully with time, things will change for the better, since people like Martin luther King and others gave their life for this civil rights cause, we both have indeed changed/progressed alot in regards to racism/civil rights. However its true we still have a very longg way to go to reach Martin luther's King speech: I HAVE A DREAM.

I wasn't being critical/bad mouthing the U.S as you might think(since i also know we as well have our own issues(though far lesser than that of the U.S). I was just pointing out that the U.S being the worlds most powerful democracy as people say, has much credibility to lose in not tackling its institutional racist justice system than even the U.K, since the U.S has way way more global influence/interests/stake in the world than the U.K. So when the U.S call on other authoritarian countries to respect their peoples freedom/rights/justice etc, it will be laughed at/mocked since it too seems to be having a very deep racial/social issue that needs tackling, which doesnt bode well for such a super power with democracy/freedom/justice as its mantra.

 

[AgentOrange]

Happens in England too
Death of Sean Rigg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That must mean its OK that Eric Garner was murdered by American regime security forces then. Since it happened in England too. Why else would you post something completely unrelated to Garner's death other than to deflect from and/or trivialize the situation?

 

[Hamartia Antidote]

That must mean its OK that Eric Garner was murdered by American regime security forces then. Since it happened in England too. Why else would you post something completely unrelated to Garner's death other than to deflect from and/or trivialize the situation?

John 8:7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."

 

[AgentOrange]

John 8:7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."

Yeah, best not talk about it. That tactic will totally work. I wonder if all those countries on that annual American "human rights report" can just Bible quote their way out of an uncomfortable situation.

I mean, who is America to criticize other nations' human rights when American regime state police systematically murder their own civilians over non-violent offenses such as not paying the state their 50 cents of taxes on cigarettes.

.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Sad

 

[AgentOrange]

Sad

No one deserves to die over the sale of loose cigarettes. Sadly, IMO, nothing will change because it's "just another" black guy that died.

 

[Dalit]

Eric Garner death: Fresh protests across US cities - BBC News

 

[gambit]

i was just about to post this news. Its really troublying to see the world's 'most powerful democracy' like the U.S having such internal social issues. what is more shocking is the fact that the grand jury in this case didn't even indict/decide to prosecute the officer involved. It shows there is indeed an insitutional issue with the U.S justice system. since this case is different from other cases before, asit was recorded on video with sound and everything, moreover the crime(selling untaxed loose cigarette.lol) was indeed a minor crime, which people dont even normally get arrested for. Even with all these proves, for the grand Jury not to at least prosecute the officer responsible for this(before even discharging him), is indeed troubling. If they cant prosecute such a crime, then to be honest, i dont see which crime they will prosecute.

This news should be a wake up call(well yet another one.lol) to the U.S, for they seem to be loosing sny moral high ground to be able to keep preaching to other authoritarian countries out there, since these countries themselves can point at U.S own internal issues/right abuses. Its indeed very troubling.

So according to you, indictments should be based on emotions, not facts.

It does not matter the reason why the police stop you. What matter is that you do not resist any attempt at controlling your actions or even making even motions that could be construed as physically threatening to the police. Please do not tell us Americans here how 'civilized' the British are. I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford for 3 yrs. Despite the fact that the bobbies are not with firearms, they are pretty damn quick with their truncheons, fists, and kicks, in subduing anyone they deemed physically threatening to the officers. I have seen what they have done with the CND-ers, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament hippies, when those thugs got out of hand in their protests at Heyford and Lakenheath. In short, the American police are no more violent than the Brits, the Germans, the Spaniards, the Russians, or the Chinese. If anything, for the Russians and the Chinese, those coppers are even more quick with their brutality.

Minor crime or not, as a motorcyclist, if I am pulled over for speeding, which is a minor crime, if I resist any attempt at controlling my movements, I will be physically subdued and if there are four officers, all of them will pile on.

Get off your high horse.

 

[mike2000]

Sad

Very very sad and shocking this video. Its indeed a wake up call to the U.S , and a national shame this officer has not even been prosecuted at all. This is shocking i must say.

So according to you, indictments should be based on emotions, not facts.

It does not matter the reason why the police stop you. What matter is that you do not resist any attempt at controlling your actions or even making even motions that could be construed as physically threatening to the police. Please do not tell us Americans here how 'civilized' the British are. I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford for 3 yrs. Despite the fact that the bobbies are not with firearms, they are pretty damn quick with their truncheons, fists, and kicks, in subduing anyone they deemed physically threatening to the officers. I have seen what they have done with the CND-ers, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament hippies, when those thugs got out of hand in their protests at Heyford and Lakenheath. In short, the American police are no more violent than the Brits, the Germans, the Spaniards, the Russians, or the Chinese. If anything, for the Russians and the Chinese, those coppers are even more quick with their brutality.

Minor crime or not, as a motorcyclist, if I am pulled over for speeding, which is a minor crime, if I resist any attempt at controlling my movements, I will be physically subdued and if there are four officers, all of them will pile on.

Get off your high horse.

LOOL nobody is saying the we in the U.K are saints or on riding a high horse or whatever. We are just saying this incident like others before , doesnt makes the U.S look good, as it really tarnishes the democratic credentials/credibility of the world's most powerful democracy. What i was pointing out is just not about the internal consequences this already has on the U.S itself, but more so the international ramifications of such acts. So it will make it harder and harder for the U.S to be able to rightly call into order/condemn/lecture other Authoritarian countries/rivals like the Russia and China. In fact im even surprised to see the Russian and Chinese leaders have never call into question/lecture the U.S about respecting the rights of its ethnic black/coloured minorties' despite the riots/arrest/protests we have seen regularly when such case arises in the U.S.

What makes me angry is that this case is even more unique, since it was caught on camera/video with sound and everything one can ask as tangible prove. As i said if the grand Jury doesnt even find anything wrong in how the police handled such a minor/ireleveant case, then i dont know which crime they will ever prosecuted. Since this case is very different from others like fergusson etc. Even more troubling, is the fact that the United States though having less than 5 percent of the world's population, it still has almost a quarter of the world's prisoners. This shows there is defintely a problem with the system, hence it needs to be reviewed/overhauled IMO.

Moreover , almost all members here be it Russians, Indians, Chinese,Japanese, turkish, arabs, Muslims, Africans etc will all agree with me that U.K police/law onforcement officers are way less aggressive than their american colleagues. There is really no argument about that bro.

John 8:7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her."

lool I never knew you were an evangelist bro.
Well done, keep it up Simon Peter.

 

[gambit]

LOOL nobody is saying the we in the U.K are saints or on riding a high horse or whatever. We are just saying this incident like others before , doesnt makes the U.S look good, as it really tarnishes the democratic credentials/credibility of the world's most powerful democracy. What i was pointing out is just not about the internal consequences this already has on the U.S itself, but more so the international ramifications of such acts. So it will make it harder and harder for the U.S to be able to rightly call into order/condemn/lecture other Authoritarian countries/rivals like the Russia and China. In fact im even surprised to see the Russian and Chinese leaders have never call into question/lecture the U.S about respecting the rights of its ethnic black/coloured minorties' despite the riots/arrest/protests we have seen regularly when such case arises in the U.S.

What makes me angry is that this case is even more unique, since it was caught on camera/video with sound and everything one can ask as tangible prove. As i said if the grand Jury doesnt even find anything wrong in how the police handled such a minor/ireleveant case, then i dont know which crime they will ever prosecuted. Since this case is very different from others like fergusson etc. Even more troubling, is the fact that the United States though having less than 5 percent of the world's population, it still has almost a quarter of the world's prisoners. This shows there is defintely a problem with the system, hence it needs to be reviewed/overhauled IMO.

Moreover , almost all members here be it Russians, Indians, Chinese,Japanese, turkish, arabs, Muslims, Africans etc will all agree with me that U.K police/law onforcement officers are way less aggressive than their american colleagues. There is really no argument about that bro.

What the hell does this have to do with democracy ? By that silly argument, can I say that the brutality of the British police tarnishes the monarchy ?

 

[Steve781]

So according to you, indictments should be based on emotions, not facts.

It does not matter the reason why the police stop you. What matter is that you do not resist any attempt at controlling your actions or even making even motions that could be construed as physically threatening to the police. Please do not tell us Americans here how 'civilized' the British are. I was stationed at RAF Upper Heyford for 3 yrs. Despite the fact that the bobbies are not with firearms, they are pretty damn quick with their truncheons, fists, and kicks, in subduing anyone they deemed physically threatening to the officers. I have seen what they have done with the CND-ers, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament hippies, when those thugs got out of hand in their protests at Heyford and Lakenheath. In short, the American police are no more violent than the Brits, the Germans, the Spaniards, the Russians, or the Chinese. If anything, for the Russians and the Chinese, those coppers are even more quick with their brutality.

Minor crime or not, as a motorcyclist, if I am pulled over for speeding, which is a minor crime, if I resist any attempt at controlling my movements, I will be physically subdued and if there are four officers, all of them will pile on.

Get off your high horse.

CND was a well known KGB pawn. Having said that, I think the majority of the "peace" activists had good intentions if misguided. I don't think the majority were particularly violent.

 

[mike2000]

What the hell does this have to do with democracy ? By that silly argument, can I say that the brutality of the British police tarnishes the monarchy ?

It has something to do with democracy my man. Well in the eyes of other U.S rivals i should say. Since the U.S is the leader of our western world and the one to always put other authoritarian rival countries under judgement of being undemocratic/abusing their citizens rights and having an inadequate judicial justice system controled by the state etc.
So you might not read too much into this social issue the U.S is facing, but it does tarnishes U.S world image as a beacon of freedom,equality.tolerance, eldorado etc. Most of all, it makes the U.S lose all credibility of lecturing others/having a moral high ground to stand on to judge others like it usually does. So this will have a very profound consequence on U.S foreign policy of using freedom/equality/democracy etc as a tool to foward its interests and make others see it as an example/model if it doesnt get its acts together on this issue which seems to be getting worse with each passing year.
For example if there were to be any protests/riot like this in say Russia or China, don't you think the U.S will be the first to make an announcement supporting these 'ethnic minorites' protesters rights/freedom? and calling on these countries government to improve their citizens rights and stop their government controled law enforcement officers from suppresing these 'innocent' people? So this has ramifications not just for the U.S alone but its international prestige/image as well bro. I dont see why you are getting so defensive on this matter. Everybody here agrees that there is indeed an issue/problem, and this should never be happening in a developed/prosperous country like the U.S on a continous basis. Nothing wrong in recognizing our shortfalls, its by doing so that we can start finding a solution to such problems, not burying our head in the ground/sand and acting like all is good.

Moreover as i said earlier, british police/law enforcement officers are way way way les aggressive/tolerant/polite than their U.S counterparts. You can ask any member from any country on here who have been to both Britain and U.K(like me) and see for yourself. Compared to the U.S police our officers look like community support officers to be honest.