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| Eric Garner: NY officer in 'I can't breathe' death fired | Eric Garner: NY officer in 'I can't breathe' death fired |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The New York City police officer involved in the high profile 2014 chokehold death of an African-American man has been fired. | |
| Daniel Pantaleo was sacked over the death of Eric Garner, whose dying words "I can't breathe" became a rallying cry for protests against police brutality. | Daniel Pantaleo was sacked over the death of Eric Garner, whose dying words "I can't breathe" became a rallying cry for protests against police brutality. |
| A state grand jury declined to indict on criminal charges but a civil rights investigation was launched in 2014. | |
| Federal prosecutors then said last month they would not bring charges. | |
| The decision, based on the recommendation of a department disciplinary judge, was announced by New York Police Commissioner James O'Neill on Monday. Mr Pantaleo had been suspended while awaiting the commissioner's decision. | |
| In explaining his decision, Mr O'Neill said mobile phone video of Garner's death clearly shows the officer used a chokehold, which is banned by the New York Police Department (NYPD). | In explaining his decision, Mr O'Neill said mobile phone video of Garner's death clearly shows the officer used a chokehold, which is banned by the New York Police Department (NYPD). |
| "Given his training" Mr Pantaleo "could reasonably be expected to be aware of the" physical danger of a chokehold, said Commissioner O'Neill. | "Given his training" Mr Pantaleo "could reasonably be expected to be aware of the" physical danger of a chokehold, said Commissioner O'Neill. |
| "Had I been in Officer Pantaleo's situation, I may have made similar mistakes," he continued. | |
| "None of us can take back our decisions," he said, adding: "Especially when they lead to the death of another human being". | |
| What happened to Eric Garner? | |
| Video of the arrest showed Garner, an asthmatic, repeatedly saying "I can't breathe" as officers restrained him on a street in the city's Staten Island borough. | |
| The 43-year-old father of six, who weighed more than 350lb (160kg), went into cardiac arrest and died while en route to the hospital after he was subdued by five police officers. | |
| A city medical examiner ruled that he died from homicide, but that his health - including obesity, heart disease and asthma - also were contributing factors. | |
| In 2015, the city of New York reached a settlement with the family for $5.9m (£4.8m) after they brought a wrongful-death lawsuit claiming that Garner was not given sufficient medical aid by emergency officials. |