Police officer admits he falsified Eric Garner’s charges after fatal chokehold during trial

Gwen Carr, left, mother of Eric Garner, speaks during a news conference after leaving court in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

After Eric Garner died during a confrontation with New York City police in 2014, one officer involved in the struggle says he wrote up paperwork exaggerating the seriousness of the dead man’s suspected crime.

Officer Justin D’Amico testified Tuesday during the disciplinary trial of officer Daniel Pantaleo. Pantaleo is accused of placing Garner in a banned chokehold during the arrest.

Garner was suspected of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes.

After he died, D’Amico said he filled out arrest papers that included a felony tax charge that would have required prosecutors to prove he’d sold 10,000 untaxed cigarettes.

D’Amico acknowledged it was not the correct charge.

D’Amico said Garner had fewer than 100 cigarettes on him when police tried to arrest him.