National News
Black Man killed in a Chokehold by NYPd Officer
By Herb Boyd
Special to NNPA
NEW YORK – Rev. Al
Sharpton was in the middle
of his speech recounting
how Eric Garner, 43, had
been killed in a chokehold
by NYPD officer when Gar-
ner’s wife collapsed by his
side on the stage of the
National Action Network in
Harlem on Saturday morn-
ing.
“They will try to scandal-
ize the deceased,” Sharpton
said of the NYPD and what
he anticipated they would
say. “The issue is not about
an unarmed man selling cig-
arettes…It’s about a man
who was subjected to a
chokehold and is no longer
with us.”
At that point, Esaw Gar-
ner collapsed and had to be
held up by Sharpton and
Rev. Herbert Daughtry,
another prominent activist.
After she was led from the
stage and to a backroom,
Sharpton continued his
speech. “You can never pre-
dict how someone will react
to grief,” he said.
All of Garner’s relatives
were in pain and weeping as
they left the stage, including
his mother, Gwen Carr, his
sister Ellisha Flagg, and his
daughter, Emerald Garner.
Sharpton promised the
family that the National
Action Network would pay
for the funeral next week of
a man the family knew as
“Big E” or more affection-
ately the “Bear” by his wife.
None of these appella-
tions were effective in
stopping the officers who
sought to detain him in
front of a hardware store in
Staten Island last Thursday.
It didn’t matter to the offi-
cers who surrounded him
that he was the father of six
children and was known as
the “Gentle Giant.” Or, the
fact that he repeatedly told
them: “I can’t breathe.”
Once Garner, who was
asthmatic, was no longer
moving the cops took a step
back and one of them
stooped over Garner as if to
see if he was still alive. He
wasn’t.
The entire video can be
seen on YouTube courtesy
of liveleak.
At a press conference Fri-
PHOTO BY HERB BOYD
Outrage nationwide at newest New York Police scandal over banned procedure
Edaw Garner, the wife of NYPd fatal choking victim, collapses in the arms of Rev. Al Sharpton (right) and
Rev. Herbert daughtry (left) at NAN headquarters in New York.
day afternoon, Mayor
Bill de Blasio, who post-
poned
his
vacation
departure to Italy, expressed
his condolences. After ask-
ing that people not jump to
conclusions, he said, “We
have a responsibility to
keep every New Yorker
We honor the many
accomplishments of African
Americans.
It is our primary goal as a
labor union to better the
lives of all people working
in the building trades
through advocacy, civil
demonstration, and the
long-held belief that work-
ers deserve a "family wage" - fair pay for an honest day's work.
A family wage, and the benefits that go with it, not only strength-
ens families, but also allows our communities to become
stronger, more cohesive, and more responsive to their citizens'
needs.
Our family wage agenda reflects our commitment to people
working in the building trades, and to workers everywhere. In this
small way, we are doing our part to help people achieve the
American Dream. This dream that workers can hold dear regard-
less of race, color, national origin, gender, creed, or religious
beliefs.
The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of Carpenters
Representing more than 5.000 construction workers in Oregon State.
Do you want to know more about becoming a
Union carpenter?
safe, and that includes when
individuals are in custody of
the NYPD. That is a respon-
sibility
that
Police
Commissioner [William]
Bratton and I take very seri-
ously. We are harnessing all
resources available to the
city to ensure a full and
said that the corner where
the incident occurred had
been the source of numer-
ous
complaints
from
storeowners. “Mr. Garner
went into cardiac arrest
while in the ambulance on
the way to the hospital,”
Bratton said, “and he died
Once Garner, who was asthmatic, was no
longer moving the cops took a step back and
one of them stooped over Garner as if to see if
he was still alive. He wasn’t.
thorough investigation of
the circumstances of this
tragic
incident.
The
NYPD’s Internal Affairs
Bureau is working closely
with the Office of the Rich-
mond County District
Attorney, which is leading
this investigation,” the
mayor added.
Bratton began his remarks
by citing the arrest record of
Garner and explaining that
the police were there to
apprehend Garner for the
sale of illegal cigarettes. He
upon arrival.”
During the question and
answer session Bratton said
that two of the officers
involved in the incident
have been placed on “desk
duty” while the investiga-
tion continues, and that the
“final determination” of the
circumstances will come
from the District Attorney’s
office.
Watching Garner, who
weighed more than 300
pounds struggle to free him-
self from the chokehold was
Ella’s Kitchen
FORMERLY SOUP & SOAP
Southern Style Cuisine
(one taste will bring you back)
3505 N. Mississippi Ave.
Mon—Sun 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Breakfast
Lunch Special
Dinner
Seafood
Dessert
Each Orders To Go .25¢
503-927-6708
Page 8 The Portland and Seattle Skanner July 23, 2014
reminiscent of the death of
Anthony Baez in 1994.
After a football hit a police
car, Baez, who also suffered
from asthma, was confront-
ed and placed in a chokehold
that took his life. Two years
before the incident with
Baez, chokeholds had been
outlawed by the NYPD. His
mother was among those in
attendance at the NAN rally
on Saturday.
“The video raises serious
questions and it is important
that we review whether
departmental procedures
were followed,” said Public
Advocate Letitia James.
“There must be a swift
investigation of this horrific
incident.”
New York City’s Patrol-
men’s
Benevolent
Association
President
Patrick J. Lynch said in a
statement, “Not wanting to
be arrested does not grant
an individual the right to
resist arrest nor does it free
the officers of the obligation
to make the arrest,” he said.
“In these cases, justice for
all involved demands a
complete and thorough
investigation of all the facts
before any conclusions are
drawn.”
Later Saturday afternoon,
Sharpton led a rally in Stat-
en Island where he was
joined by members of the
Garner family as they
marched to the spot where
the encounter occurred. A
number of candles and
flowers were placed at the
spot.
Garner’s funeral is to be
held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at
Bethel Baptist Church, on
Bergen Street, in Brooklyn.