Garner Case: Six Members of Congress Call on A.G. Lynch to Prosecute Pantaleo

Hakeem

Rep. Jeffries. Photo: YouTube

New York Representatives Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08), Jose Serrano (NY-15), Nydia Velazquez (NY-12), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Yvette Clarke (NY-09) and Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, asking her to prosecute the culprit in the killing of Eric Garner, an unarmed father of six who was choked to death by Daniel Pantaleo a NYPD officer with a checkered past.

The letter states, in part: “While the DOJ began its own inquiry following the state grand jury’s abdication of responsibility, over the past two years it has not been completed. When a police officer crosses the line and violates the civil rights of a citizen, particularly one who is unarmed, there must be accountability in the criminal justice system. Often, that does not occur. In this instance, given the strong videotaped evidence, failure to act would be a miscarriage of justice.”

“At minimum, this case should be tried and considered by a jury of Officer Pantaleo’s peers. In approximately two weeks, there will be a new DOJ less committed to civil rights enforcement. Consequently, the investigation into Mr. Garner’s death may itself be suffocated and die. The result is not only unacceptable for Mr. Garner and his family, but for all communities where the use of excessive force and overly aggressive policing tactics threaten life and liberty. Accordingly, we respectfully request that a final prosecutorial decision be made prior to the arrival of the new administration.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *