Currents News Staff
As of August 2, New York police officer Daniel Pantaleo has been suspended for his involvement in the death of Eric Garner.
The incident was caught on video and sparked protests around the country.
And for the family of Eric Garner, it’s been long overdue.
A New York Police Department administrative judge recommended that officer Daniel Pantaleo be fired following his controversial involvement in Garner’s death.
Police Commissioner James O’Neill suspended Pantaleo, and will have the final say on termination.
“Commissioner O’Neil, fire Pantaleo,” asked Emerald Garner, Eric Garner’s daughter.
Her father was confronted by police trying to arrest him in July of 2014. He was allegedly selling illegal cigarettes
The confrontation was caught on video sparking nationwide protests. The chant “I can’t breath” now repeats some of Garner’s final words.
The accusation facing Pantaleo is usage of a chokehold, a tactic prohibited by the NYPD.
“He didn’t use a chokehold, he was merely attempting to gain control of him,” said Stuart London, Pantaleo’s attorney.
The recommendation to fire him results from a disciplinary trial, but the question of whether or not a chokehold was used remains.
“We had a grand jury know that there was no crime, we had the feds say there was no crime. And now we have politics saying that there was,” said Patrick Lynch, President of the New York City Police Benevolent Association.
The Garner family now says they will pursue federal legislation that they hope would make using a chokehold illegal. “We’re asking for the congressional hearings,” said Garner’s daughter.
“There will still be a fight and we are up for that fight,” added civil rights leader Al Sharpton.
The officer’s attorneys will have two weeks to respond to the recommendation made by NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Trials, Rosemarie Maldonado.
After that, Police Commissioner James O’Neill has the final say on Pantaleo’s fate.