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New York City to pay Garner family $5.9m in choking death | New York City to pay Garner family $5.9m in choking death |
(35 minutes later) | |
New York City has agreed to pay $5.9m (£3.8m) to the family of Eric Garner who died after a violent arrest. | New York City has agreed to pay $5.9m (£3.8m) to the family of Eric Garner who died after a violent arrest. |
The arrest was captured on video and Garner's words "I can't breathe" became a slogan for protesters nationwide. | |
Garner's death was one of a number of controversial cases in the US where unarmed black people have been killed by white police officers. | Garner's death was one of a number of controversial cases in the US where unarmed black people have been killed by white police officers. |
Family members had begun steps to file a lawsuit against New York, initially seeking $75m. | |
Police officers stopped Garner on 17 July 2014 outside a store on Staten Island for selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. | |
After Garner argued with police and refused to be handcuffed, officer Daniel Pantaleo put Garner in a neck hold. Garner, who had asthma, was wrestled to the ground and restrained by force. He died later at a local hospital. | |
"Following a judicious review of the claim and facts of this case, my office was able to reach a settlement with the estate of Eric Garner that is in the best interests of all parties,'" New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer said on Monday. | |
New York City did not admit to any liability. Mr Stringer has spearheaded efforts to settle civil rights case quickly, saying it saves the city money on legal fees. | |
The city's medical examiner's office found that Garner's death was a homicide and was caused by "the compression of his chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police". | |
Critics said Mr Pantaleo performed a chokehold on Garner, which is banned by police department policy. Mr Pantaleo claimed the hold was a legal manoeuvre. | |
A grand jury declined last December to charge the arresting officers, setting off weeks of protests. A federal investigation into the case continues. | |
Garner's family plans to lead a rally pushing for federal charges against the officers on Saturday outside the Brooklyn offices of the United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York. | |
The Garner family and the Reverend Al Sharpton also plan to hold a news conference about the case on Tuesday. | |
"This is not about people getting money," Mr Sharpton told the New York Times. "This is about justice - we've got to restructure our police departments - and how we deal with policing nationwide." |