Eric Garner, a Staten Island father of six, was tragically killed last month by New York Police Department Officer Daniel Pantaleo when he put the asthmatic Garner into an illegal chokehold. His death was recently ruled a homicide by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office and Mayor Bill de Blasio has vowed to work with “all authorities involved” to “ensure a fair and justified outcome.”
The msnbc.com community reacted to Garner’s death:
%22Eric%20was%20killed%20by%20a%20militaristic%20police%20force%20that%20sees%20citizens%2C%20particularly%20minorities%2C%20as%20the%20enemy.%20They%20no%20longer%20protect%20and%20serve%20but%20seek%20and%20destroy%20%E2%80%A6%20Eric%27s%20weight%20%5Band%5D%20background%20had%20nothing%20to%20do%20with%20his%20death.%20The%20actions%20of%20the%20police%20were%20the%20sole%20reason.%22′
%22I%20saw%20a%20chokehold%20applied%20haphazardly%20for%20a%20moment%2C%20but%20if%20we%27re%20still%20honest%20here%2C%20that%27s%20not%20what%20he%20died%20from.%20He%20died%20from%20being%20overly%20obese%20and%20unhealthy.%22′
%22Bias%20did%20not%20kill%20Mr.%20Garner.%20The%20police%20officer%20made%20a%20conscious%20decision%20to%20apply%20a%20chokehold%20and%20then%20another%20conscious%20decision%20to%20ignore%20Mr.%20Garner%27s%20pleas.%20Not%20only%20should%20re-training%20be%20implemented%20immediately%2C%20the%20psychological%20testing%20conducted%20on%20new%20recruits%20and%20seasoned%20veterans%20of%20the%20force%20should%20be%20fully%20reviewed%20for%20effectiveness%20and%20revamped%20if%20indicated.%22′
%22This%20cop%20needs%20to%20be%20off%20the%20street%2C%20maybe%20off%20the%20job%2C%20once%20all%20the%20evidence%20is%20reviewed.%20We%20do%20not%20need%20the%20police%20killing%20people%20for%20selling%20illegal%20cigarettes%2C%20posing%20no%20threat%20or%20resisting%20arrest.%20Many%20cops%20are%20good%20people%2C%20a%20few%20are%20not.%22′
%22Have%20your%20movie%20cameras%20on%20your%20cell%20phones%20ready%20folks.%20Actions%20of%20citizens%20with%20cameras%20will%20mean%20a%20great%20deal%20to%20upholding%20the%20law%20and%20justice.%20I%27m%20keeping%20mine%20at%20the%20ready.%22′
%22The%20death%20of%20Eric%20Garner%20was%20tragic%2C%20but%20brought%20to%20life%2C%20that%20our%20law%20enforcement%20is%20not%20above%20or%20beyond%20the%20law%20of%20our%20citizens%2C%20who%20they%20vowed%20to%20serve%20and%20protect.%22′
%22…%20I%20believe%20this%20act%20was%202nd%20degree%20murder.%20I%20grew%20up%20at%20a%20time%20when%20the%20police%20were%20to%20be%20respected.%20But%2C%20I%20also%20grew%20up%20during%20a%20time%20when%20white%20and%20black%20neighborhoods%20were%20separate%20and%20segregated.%20We%20have%20progressed%2C%20somewhat.%20There%20is%20a%20concept%20of%20%27pack%20mentality%27%20that%20occurs%20mostly%20among%20men.%20It%20is%20acted%20out%20in%20senseless%20rage.%20Sadly%2C%20it%20is%20a%20universal%20male%20truth%20but%20a%20fully%20inexcusable%20behavior.%20I%2Fwe%20expect%20more%20from%20our%20police%20and%20our%20EMTs%3A%20offering%20care%20and%20concern%2C%20safe%20harbor%20and%20rational%20behavior.%20This%20act%20against%20Garner%20blemishes%20the%20entire%20police%20culture.%22′
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