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| US Department of Justice opens investigation into Eric Garner's death | US Department of Justice opens investigation into Eric Garner's death |
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| US attorney general Eric Holder announced a federal investigation into “potential civil rights violations” in the death of Eric Garner, just hours after news broke that a local grand jury had decided not to indict the New York police officer who placed Garner in a chokehold. | US attorney general Eric Holder announced a federal investigation into “potential civil rights violations” in the death of Eric Garner, just hours after news broke that a local grand jury had decided not to indict the New York police officer who placed Garner in a chokehold. |
| In a televised address, Holder said the Justice Department would investigate whether Garner suffered any civil rights violations when he was placed in a chokehold by New York police department officer Daniel Pantaleo. | In a televised address, Holder said the Justice Department would investigate whether Garner suffered any civil rights violations when he was placed in a chokehold by New York police department officer Daniel Pantaleo. |
| A separate DoJ investigation is already underway into Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson’s fatal shooting of another unarmed black man, Michael Brown. | A separate DoJ investigation is already underway into Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson’s fatal shooting of another unarmed black man, Michael Brown. |
| Holder promised the investigation into Garner’s death, which was caught on video, would be “independent, through, fair and expeditious” and pleaded with demonstrators protesting against the decision not to indict Pantaleo to remain peaceful. | Holder promised the investigation into Garner’s death, which was caught on video, would be “independent, through, fair and expeditious” and pleaded with demonstrators protesting against the decision not to indict Pantaleo to remain peaceful. |
| The attorney general acknowledged the deaths of 43-year-old Garner and 18-year-old Brown had tapped into wider concerns about policing. “This is not a New York issue, nor a Ferguson issue alone,” he said. | The attorney general acknowledged the deaths of 43-year-old Garner and 18-year-old Brown had tapped into wider concerns about policing. “This is not a New York issue, nor a Ferguson issue alone,” he said. |
| “We’ve all seen the video of Mr Garner’s arrest,” Holder added. “His death is of course was a tragedy. All lives must be valued – all lives. Mr Garner’s death is one of several recent incidents across our great country that have tested the sense of trust that must exist between law enforcement and the communities they are charged to serve and to protect.” | “We’ve all seen the video of Mr Garner’s arrest,” Holder added. “His death is of course was a tragedy. All lives must be valued – all lives. Mr Garner’s death is one of several recent incidents across our great country that have tested the sense of trust that must exist between law enforcement and the communities they are charged to serve and to protect.” |
| Holder said the Garner case has been “closely monitored” in recent months by the DoJ’s civil rights division, the US attorney’s office for the eastern district of New York and the FBI. All three had allowed the local investigation led by the Staten Island district attorney’s office to proceed first, Holder added. | Holder said the Garner case has been “closely monitored” in recent months by the DoJ’s civil rights division, the US attorney’s office for the eastern district of New York and the FBI. All three had allowed the local investigation led by the Staten Island district attorney’s office to proceed first, Holder added. |
| “Now that the local investigation has concluded I am here to announce that the Justice Department will proceed with a federal civil rights investigation into Mr Garner’s death,” he said. | “Now that the local investigation has concluded I am here to announce that the Justice Department will proceed with a federal civil rights investigation into Mr Garner’s death,” he said. |
| The attorney general spoke as hundreds of protesters flocked to the streets of Manhattan. There were also small protests in Washington, DC, and elsewhere in the US. | The attorney general spoke as hundreds of protesters flocked to the streets of Manhattan. There were also small protests in Washington, DC, and elsewhere in the US. |
| Holder said “substantial numbers of people” would want to protest against the decision not to indict the police officer. But he cautioned those demonstrating that “those most successful movements are those that adhere to the principles of nonviolence”. | Holder said “substantial numbers of people” would want to protest against the decision not to indict the police officer. But he cautioned those demonstrating that “those most successful movements are those that adhere to the principles of nonviolence”. |
| “I urge all inclined to demonstrate tonight, and in the days ahead, to remain peaceful in their demonstrations and not to engage in activities that deflect our attention from the very serious matters that our nation must confront,” Holder said. | “I urge all inclined to demonstrate tonight, and in the days ahead, to remain peaceful in their demonstrations and not to engage in activities that deflect our attention from the very serious matters that our nation must confront,” Holder said. |
| Police stopped Garner, a father of six, under suspicion of peddling untaxed “loose” cigarettes in July before his arrest. In footage of the moments leading up to the chokehold, Garner is heard telling police: “Every time you see me, you wanna harass me, you wanna stop me … I’m minding my business, officer.” | Police stopped Garner, a father of six, under suspicion of peddling untaxed “loose” cigarettes in July before his arrest. In footage of the moments leading up to the chokehold, Garner is heard telling police: “Every time you see me, you wanna harass me, you wanna stop me … I’m minding my business, officer.” |
| Garner repeatedly complained he could not breathe when Pantaleo held him in a chokehold. | Garner repeatedly complained he could not breathe when Pantaleo held him in a chokehold. |
| An autopsy showed Garner died as a result of the chokehold, compressions to the chest, and prone positioning during his restraint by police. The New York grand jury could have considered multiple charges, from murder to a lesser offense such as reckless endangerment, but Staten Island district attorney Daniel Donovan said jurors found “no reasonable cause” to bring charges. | |
| In a statement released on Wednesday night, Pantaleo expressed his condolences to Garner’s family. “I became a police officer to help people and to protect those who can’t protect themselves. It is never my intention to harm anyone and I feel very bad about the death of Mr Garner,” he said. | In a statement released on Wednesday night, Pantaleo expressed his condolences to Garner’s family. “I became a police officer to help people and to protect those who can’t protect themselves. It is never my intention to harm anyone and I feel very bad about the death of Mr Garner,” he said. |
| The decision not to indict Wilson over Brown’s death sparked a night of rioting in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson last month and a wave of solidarity protests across the country. | The decision not to indict Wilson over Brown’s death sparked a night of rioting in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson last month and a wave of solidarity protests across the country. |
| Two separate investigations have been launched in relation to the Ferguson case. One is a federal investigation into whether Brown’s civil rights were violated when he was shot dead by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson August 6. | Two separate investigations have been launched in relation to the Ferguson case. One is a federal investigation into whether Brown’s civil rights were violated when he was shot dead by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson August 6. |
| A second, broader, DoJ inquiry in Ferguson is examining whether the police force is responsible for discriminatory policing and other civil rights violations. | A second, broader, DoJ inquiry in Ferguson is examining whether the police force is responsible for discriminatory policing and other civil rights violations. |
| New York mayor Bill De Blasio also acknowledged the widespread discontent the grand jury decision in the Garner case would cause. He too called on protesters to remain nonviolent, saying he had just met Ben Garner, Eric Garner’s father, and adding: “Eric would not have wanted violence.” | New York mayor Bill De Blasio also acknowledged the widespread discontent the grand jury decision in the Garner case would cause. He too called on protesters to remain nonviolent, saying he had just met Ben Garner, Eric Garner’s father, and adding: “Eric would not have wanted violence.” |
| Earlier on Wednesday, Barack Obama, who has been criticised over his response to unrest in Ferguson, suggested the Garner case had reaffirmed his determination to ensure all Americans are treated equally in the criminal justice system. | Earlier on Wednesday, Barack Obama, who has been criticised over his response to unrest in Ferguson, suggested the Garner case had reaffirmed his determination to ensure all Americans are treated equally in the criminal justice system. |
| “When anybody in this country is not being treated equally under the law, that’s a problem,” the president said during a conference in Washington, DC. “And it is my job as president to help solve it.” | “When anybody in this country is not being treated equally under the law, that’s a problem,” the president said during a conference in Washington, DC. “And it is my job as president to help solve it.” |
| Marcia Fudge, the Ohio Democrat who chairs the congressional black caucus, warned of the message of combined decisions not to indict Wilson and Pantaleo. | Marcia Fudge, the Ohio Democrat who chairs the congressional black caucus, warned of the message of combined decisions not to indict Wilson and Pantaleo. |
| “In the span of two weeks, this nation seems to have heard one message loud and clear: there will be no accountability for taking black lives,” she said. “As an American, it is growing increasingly difficult to believe that there is justice for all.” | “In the span of two weeks, this nation seems to have heard one message loud and clear: there will be no accountability for taking black lives,” she said. “As an American, it is growing increasingly difficult to believe that there is justice for all.” |