Join The Gist of Freedom as we discuss The Michael Brown and Eric Garner Grand Jury Verdicts. Police not Indicted, For The deaths of Unarmed Black Men, with Attorney Activist, Michael Coard Esq.! 8pm ET~ BlackHistoryBlog ------------- I cant breathe Weeks before the shooting death of Michael Brown this August in Ferguson, Missouri, the death of Eric Garner set off its own wave of protests. The father of six died in July while being suspected of selling illegal cigarettes in Staten Island, after a police chokehold rendered him unable to breathe. Unlike Mike Browns death, Garners death has harrowing digital footprints. His attempted arrest and struggle for air were captured on a widely-disseminated video. His final words were “I can’t breathe.” In the aftermath of the verdict, many will likely point to the fact that the coroners report ruled Garners death a homicide, and that chokeholds are expressly forbidden by the NYPD. Besides the banned chokehold used by Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who brought Mr. Garner down, throwing a beefy arm around his neck, there was lethal danger in the way Mr. Garner was subdued — on his stomach, with a pile of cops on his back. “positional asphyxia” quoted the New York Police Department’s guidelines on preventing deaths in custody. “As soon as the subject is handcuffed, get him off his stomach. Turn him on his side or place him in a seated position.” The New York medical examiner’s office ruled Mr. Garner’s death a homicide, it cited “compression of neck (choke hold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police.” The pressure prevents the diaphragm from going up and down, and he can’t inhale and exhale.” Which is exactly what Mr. Garner was trying to tell the officers who were on top of him when he said I cant breathe On Wednesday, a grand jury decided not to indict Daniel Pantaleo, the plainclothes NYPD officer who was making the arrest. -------------- The New York police officer, Pantaleo, who held Eric Garner in the chokehold that killed him has been sued three times for allegedly violating the constitutional rights of other blacks he and fellow cops arrested. Collins, 46, and Rice, 43, said Pantaleo ‘slapped’ and ‘tapped’ their testicles in broad daylight. The officers denied the charges, insisting they acted reasonably and exercised their discretion, but the lawsuit was settled last year for $30,000. bit.ly/ChokeholdCop_Sued3X --------------
Posted on: Sun, 07 Dec 2014 18:12:29 +0000