NYPD Officer Won't Face Federal Charges for Death of Eric Garner The Justice Department decided
on July 16 not to federally charge
NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo for his
involvement in Eric Garner’s death. The decision comes nearly five years since Garner
was killed by Pantaleo, who put him in an illegal
chokehold and caused a deadly asthma attack. In the days after Garner’s death, the city medical
examiner ruled it a homicide, saying Pantaleo’s actions
were “part of the lethal cascade of events.” Garner was allegedly selling loose cigarettes
on July 17, 2014, when police stopped
him and attempted to detain him. While being choked by Pantaleo, Garner said
“I can’t breathe,” a phrase that promptly became
a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement. Departmental charges have been brought
against Pantaleo by the NYPD and, if found
guilty, he could potentially lose his job. Pantaleo has been on desk duty since 2014, a status that
has allowed him to still receive pay and pension benefits.