Eric Garner Biography

On July 17, 2014, Eric Garner died in Staten Island, New York City, after Daniel Pantaleo, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, put him in a headlock or chokehold for 15 seconds while arresting him. The filming of the incident brought police brutality into wider public awareness.

Ramsey Orta, who filmed the choking death of #EricGarner, will be imprisoned until Dec 2019 and has been held in solitary confinement. https://t.co/6YGj1uDs3E — Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) July 16, 2019

Eric Garner Wife, Children

He had six children, ranging in age from eighteen years to three months, and was with his wife, Esaw, for over twenty years.

Eric Garner Age

He was 43 years old.

Eric Garner Height

He was 6.3 Feet, tall man

Eric Garner Weight

His weight was 350 Pounds.

Eric Garner Ethnicity

He was an African-American man

Eric Garner Death

Eric Garner’s daughter comes outside after learning feds won’t charge NYPD cop Daniel Pantaleo in death of her dad Eric Garner. WARNING: language @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/vfqlhBtZ0I — Andrea Grymes (@AndreaGrymesTV) July 16, 2019



NYPD officers approached Garner on suspicion of selling single cigarettes from packs without tax stamps. After Garner told the police that he was tired of being harassed and that he was not selling cigarettes, the officers went to arrest Garner. When officer Daniel Pantaleo tried to take Garner’s wrist behind his back, Garner pulled his arms away. Pantaleo then put his arm around Garner’s neck and took him down onto the ground. After Pantaleo removed his arm from Garner’s neck, he pushed the side of Garner’s face into the ground while four officers moved to restrain Garner, who repeated “I can’t breathe” eleven times while lying facedown on the sidewalk. After Garner lost consciousness, officers turned him onto his side to ease his breathing. Garner remained to lie on the sidewalk for seven minutes while the officers waited for an ambulance to arrive. The officers and emergency medical technicians did not perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Garner at the scene; according to a spokesman for the PBA, this was because they believed that Garner was breathing and that it would be improper to perform CPR on someone who was still breathing. He was pronounced dead at the hospital approximately one hour later.

Eric Garner Cause of Death

NYPD policy prohibits the use of chokeholds, and Pantaleo denied choking Garner. According to Pantaleo’s lawyer, a subsequent internal report from NYPD Chief Surgeon Eli Kleinman, completed at the request of NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau, found that Pantaleo did not put Garner into a chokehold and that Garner’s pre-existing health conditions contributed to his death. However, New York City Medical Examiner Dr. Floriana Persechino disagreed, stating Garner died of an asthma attack brought on by a chokehold and a lethal series of events. This conclusion was confirmed by an independent autopsy which found hemorrhaging around Garner’s neck. The NYPD internal affairs inquiry also determined that Pantaleo used a chokehold and recommended disciplinary charges, although no charges were filed by the department.

Eric Garner Medical Reports

The medical examiner ruled Garner’s death a homicide. According to the medical examiner’s definition, a homicide is a death caused by the intentional actions of another person or persons, which is not necessarily an intentional death or a criminal death. On December 3, 2014, the Richmond County grand jury decided not to indict Pantaleo. On that day, the United States Department of Justice announced it would conduct an independent investigation. The event stirred public protests and rallies, with charges of police brutality made by protesters. By December 28, 2014, at least 50 demonstrations had been held nationwide specifically for Garner while hundreds of demonstrations against general police brutality counted Garner as a focal point. On July 13, 2015,

Eric Garner’s daughter condemns DOJ decision not to charge officer involved in her father’s death five years ago: “Don’t apologize to me. Fire the officer!” https://t.co/lGCTpDbndO pic.twitter.com/0rITfG4WXe — ABC News (@ABC) July 16, 2019

Eric Garner Settlement Ammount

an out-of-court settlement was announced in which the City of New York would pay the Garner family $5.9 million.

Eric Garner Case Updates

“We’re not going away,” Eric Garner’s mother says following DOJ decision. “You think it’s swept under the rug? No! It’s not going to be swept under the rug. Because, I’m out here. You all know my face. You’re going to see it even more now.” https://t.co/aLS5pDb9Y1 pic.twitter.com/SBu7TyVl2L

— ABC News (@ABC) July 16, 2019

Federal prosecutors announced this morning they will not pursue civil rights charges against a New York City police officer in the 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner, sparking outrage among his family members and activists.

The decision not to bring charges against Officer Daniel Pantaleo comes a day before the statute of limitations was set to expire, on the fifth anniversary of the encounter that led to Garner’s death.

Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr, and his daughter, Emerald Snipes, condemned the Justice Department’s decision not to charge the officer during a news conference held on the steps of the US Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn.



Fast Facts You Need to Know