The New York Police Department has suspended one of the police officers involved in the 2014 death of Eric Garner following a New York administrative judge’s recommendation that he be fired.
New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo placed Garner in a chokehold, prohibited by NYPD policies, while arresting him. The asthmatic Garner then went into cardiac arrest while en route to the police station. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The recommendation comes after the Department of Justice declined to bring charges against Pantaleo. The ultimate decision on firing, however, rests with New York City police commissioner James O’Neill, according to NBC News.
In response to the news, Garner’s widow pleaded with O’Neill to make his decision “as soon as possible.”
Emerald Snipes-Garner, Eric Garner’s daughter: “We’ve been waiting for five years for someone to say that he did something wrong, and they finally made that decision today. So we don’t want to wait no more. Make your decision, Mr. O’Neill, as soon as possible.” pic.twitter.com/5zw7bVeqoW
— Spectrum News NY1 (@NY1) August 2, 2019
The judge’s recommendation follows hecklers yelling at New York City mayor and 2020 contender Bill de Blasio during this week’s second Democratic presidential debate on live television. The protesters yelled at de Blasio to “fire Pantaleo.”
