Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams today sent a letter to NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill reiterating his calls for the firing of Officer Daniel Pantaleo, just after the five year anniversary of the day he killed Eric Garner. Calls to fire Pantaleo have re-ignited after the Department of Justice, under Attorney General William Barr, announced it would not bring federal civil rights charges against the officer.
Full text is below, and the letter can also be downloaded here.
LETTER FROM PUBLIC ADVOCATE WILLIAMS
Dear Commissioner O'Neill,
As you know, five years ago, Eric Garner was killed by a member of the NYPD who used a prohibited tactic - the chokehold. As you also know, Mr. Garner repeated, several times, the phrase, "I Can't Breathe."
Since then, Mr. Garner's family has fought for justice, on his behalf, and we've stood shoulder to shoulder with them. They've had to watch the video of their family member's killing countless times, all the while waiting for someone - anyone - to deliver any measure of justice. That measure wasn't delivered by his continued employment with the Department, it wasn't delivered by a Grand Jury that declined to indict, and it certainly wasn't delivered by the current U.S. Department of Justice whose leader, Attorney General Barr, overruled several members of his own team by declining to press civil rights charges.
Simply put, five years is too long to wait. This letter serves as an official request from my office to fire Officer Pantaleo, now.
Sincerely,
Jumaane D. Williams
Public Advocate for the City of New York
Public Advocate for the City of New York
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