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