Early mornings are a great time to reflect. Quiet, peaceful hours before the start of a hectic workday encourage free-range thinking. This morning, Im struck by the 14 minute-long cell phone video of Eric Garners last moments on Earth. It seems police suspected Mr. Garner was selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. Lets assume for the sake of argument that he was. Police insisted he place his hands behind his back. He argued against the charge, asserting his innocence. The back-and-forth argument lasted several minutes, until Ofc. Daniel Pantaleo leapt onto Garner, wrapped his forearm around Garners throat and locked in a chokehold. Pantaleo rode Garner to the ground, while Garner panted that he couldnt breathe as many as 11 times. As Eric Garner lay cuffed and unconscious on the ground, five officers stood by seemingly unconcerned for his welfare. All over the sale of some untaxed cigarettes. I have argued that Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson was justified in his decision to employ deadly force against Michael Brown. I cannot, by any reasonable measure, justify the actions of Ofc. Pantaleo and his four colleagues in Staten Island, NY. I also cannot explain the grand jury decision not to issue an indictment for at least involuntary manslaughter.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 12:11:17 +0000
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