Eric Garner Funeral - On Wednesday, a local district attorney announced that a New York City grand jury has decided not to indict a New York Police Department (NYPD) officer who killed an unarmed black man, Eric Garner, with a chokehold while trying to arrest him for illegally selling cigarettes.
The fatal encounter happened on New York City's smallest area, Staten Island. Eric Garner, whose funeral was in July, was choked to death by an NYPD officer. The incident was caught on video that quickly spread over the Internet. Yahoo! News reported the incident sparked debate and racial tensions in the city.
The New York grand jury's decision came after a week a Missouri grand jury declined to indict a white police offer, Darren Wilson, who shot an unarmed black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson. The Wall Street Journal reported the NYPD has said it was prepared for protests and was confident to avoid the violence seen in Missouri.
In a video that had widely circulated online, the white NYPD officer, Daniel Pantaleo, was seen with his arm wrapped around 43-year-old Eric Garner's neck, wrestling him to the ground in an attempt to arrest him for allegedly selling untaxed cigarettes in Staten Island. While Garner, could be heard saying he can't breathe.
The NYPD officials have ruled the incident a homicide and stressed that the chokehold technique generally isn't allowed. Garner, who was pronounced dead at a hospital after the chokehold incident, was given a memorial by family and friends during his funeral in July.
The decision over Eric Garner's case drew a reaction from US President Barack Obama. Obama said Garner's death "speaks to the larger issues" of trust between the authorities and the civilians. At Eric Garner's funeral in July, mourners had been furious about the death of a man known in the community as a "gentle giant."
While authorities called for peaceful protests over Eric Garner's case, sentiments ran high as New Yorkers expressed their anger and frustrations from the streets of Staten Island to social media.
Meanwhile, the NYPD officer, Pantaleo, responsible for Garner's death was stripped of his gun and badge while the investigation took place, which lasted four months. The Guardian said Pantaleo was also placed on desk duty. He will remain on modified duty awaiting the outcome of an internal investigation by NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau.
In July, a reverend spoke at Eric Garner's funeral condemning the incident that resulted to Garner's death. The event that was caught on video has fueled protests and rallies across the city. And with the grand jury's decision not to indict Pantaleo, racial tensions between the authorities and civilians definitely intensify.
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