The Rude Pundit - No Indictment for the White Cop Who Choked Eric Garner to Death

[meegbear]

For just a moment, you can have sympathy for the grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri. They didn't have multiple video recordings of the minutes when Michael Brown had his run-in with Darren Wilson. No one had their phones pointed at the street when Wilson shot Brown. No one captured the moment he died. If only for a second, you can feel a bit of pity for the jurors because of what the prosecutor forced them to wade through, for having to figure out if deadly force was necessary without such readily obvious evidence. And that second can only exist while you are burning with anger at the grand jury on Staten Island that just declined to indict NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo for choking Eric Garner to death when Garner was accused of selling untaxed cigarettes.

Because, see, this one, this murder of a black man by a white cop, is even worse, if that's possible. Because, see, we had videos. We saw what happened, from multiple angles. We saw Pantaleo put Garner in a chokehold that is banned by the NYPD. We heard Garner beg for air as cops piled on him. We watched the cops shove and poke Garner, believing he was faking it when he was either dying or was already dead. We saw the EMTs not attempt any resuscitation. We read or heard that the coroner declare that Garner's death was a homicide committed by Pantaleo. Using a banned method to kill someone? Doesn't that on its face seem to demand charges?

What the fuck else did you need to go to a trial? Really. What the fuck else? I keep hearing Michael Brown's stepfather, yelling in agony to "Burn this bitch down," and he sounds like a mad prophet, not a thug.

The message to African Americans is simple: "You must comply or we will fucking kill you." If I were a cop, I'd be scared to death and really pissed off. I'd want the grand juries to indict. I'd want the cops who fuck up to be put on trial, to be sent to prison. Because this is how revolutions start. This is what inspires real insurgent violence. When you, as a citizen, no longer believe the authorities are there to protect you but are a threat to your safety? When you're cornered and your choice is to fight or be murdered without any consequences for the murderers? That's a tipping point. The violent cops are undermining not just police departments, but the shaky structure of America itself.

We're at a crossroads. Next up is the Tamir Rice case in Cleveland. Before that, we'll no doubt be subjected to the parade of grotesque conservatives declaring that Eric Garner was wrong, that he just should have submitted, that he brought it on himself. Yet, as with Michael Brown, none of those have any relevance on why he was killed, why his pleas were insignificant, why his death was unnecessary, why the grand jury's decision is so unsurprising. Something has to change in cop culture, in our undying American racism, in our white selves, but I don't know if we're capable of it anymore.

"Who can control the Police Department? We had a damn video tape," Garner's father said today. Both he and Garner's mother called for protests to stay peaceful. Maybe that's right, if for no other reason than to show who the thugs really are.

http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2014/12/no-indictment-for-white-cop-who-choked.html

[arcane1]

1. Is there a grand jury in the Tamir Rice case?

I'm almost afraid to ask

[noiretextatique]

3. yep...not that it will make a damn bit of difference

Last edited Thu Dec 4, 2014, 07:39 AM - Edit history (1)

but, yes.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/grand-jury-will-hear-case-tamir-rice-12-year-old-n255036

[csziggy]

2. The Rude Pundit has it right. I'm so angry I want to hurt someone

And I am an old white woman who is used to being deferred to by police because of the accident of race and gender.

The Rude Pundit said, "Before that, we'll no doubt be subjected to the parade of grotesque conservatives declaring that Eric Garner was wrong, that he just should have submitted, that he brought it on himself."

That started immediately - some a** on CNN was claiming that Eric Garner had been arrested "31 times." Not according to what I could find. He was arrested 3 times:

At the time of his death, the Port Richmond resident had three misdemeanor cases pending in Stapleton Criminal Court. He was free on $2,000 bail.

On Aug. 22 of last year, Garner was arrested on School Road and Bay Street, Fort Wadsworth, for allegedly driving without a license, according to a criminal complaint.

<SNIP>

Seven months later, while out on $1,000 bail, Garner was busted on March 28 for allegedly selling unstamped cigarettes on the street outside of 200 Bay St., Tompkinsville. He had 24 packs of untaxed smokes in his possession, police said.

<SNIP>

Garner was arrested again on May 7 on Victory Boulevard and St. Marks Place, Tompkinsville. The site is across the block from Bay Street.

More: http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2014/07/eric_garner_who_died_in_police.html

Eric Garner may have had 31 charges against him, but he had NOT been arrested "31 times" - and he has not been convicted on any of the counts.

And NONE of the counts against Eric Garner fucking matter because he will NEVER be GUILTY of any charge. The cop who choked him and his cohorts that helped "control" Eric Garner made sure of that. Dead men cannot be convicted of a crime.

[malaise]

4. This

When you, as a citizen, no longer believe the authorities are there to protect you but are a threat to your safety? When you're cornered and your choice is to fight or be murdered without any consequences for the murderers? That's a tipping point. The violent cops are undermining not just police departments, but the shaky structure of America itself.

Rec

[CanonRay]

12. Our justice system has been inequitable for a long time

but it sure does seem to be coming to a head. Apparently murder is now legal if you wear a badge.

[azmom]

5. This is way beyond fucked up.

[iandhr]

6. For those who don't know...

… each borough of NYC has it's own judicial system. Meaning a grand jury on Staten Island only has Staten Islanders. Most NYC cops come from Staten Island so many people have cops in their family or know cops.



If this happened in another borough there probably would have been an indictment.

[BronxBoy]

9. You have far more faith..

in the city of my birth than do I

[iandhr]

10. Here's my guess on the order

… where an indictment would be more likely to happen.

1. Bronx

2. Brooklyn

3. Manhattan

4. Queens

5. SI

[BronxBoy]

11. Except....

Of all the high profile cases involving controversial police shootings, the only one I can remember where an indictment was returned was Diallo in the Bronx.

Indictments just don't happen..period

[iandhr]

14. Sean Bell shooters were indicted...

… and acquitted at trial.

[BronxBoy]

15. Ok...

So 2 out of how many?????

[iandhr]

18. Don't know the number.

[IDemo]

7. "I don't know if we're capable of it anymore" (Something has to change)

I'm convinced that the ugliness has been permanently tattooed into American culture. There is no change heading our direction for a very long time, if ever.

[mountain grammy]

8. Prosecutors and police work hand in hand. Ever watch "Law and Order?"

Prosecutors need police and they will not prosecute them. We know this and something must happen to make police accountable. I think any officer involved in any violent altercation with an unarmed citizen where the citizen suffers injuries or death, is fired immediately. Now that cop is a civilian, and could face prosecution for his/her actions.

[KingCharlemagne]

13. I have been reluctant to say this, for fear that my words

would be construed as somehow advocating violence. But I don't think I could put it any better than this:

The message to African Americans is simple: "You must comply or we will fucking kill you." If I were a cop, I'd be scared to death and really pissed off. I'd want the grand juries to indict. I'd want the cops who fuck up to be put on trial, to be sent to prison. Because this is how revolutions start. This is what inspires real insurgent violence. When you, as a citizen, no longer believe the authorities are there to protect you but are a threat to your safety? When you're cornered and your choice is to fight or be murdered without any consequences for the murderers? That's a tipping point. The violent cops are undermining not just police departments, but the shaky structure of America itself.

(Emphasis added)

[BronxBoy]

16. I know where you're coming from....

and I too have been reluctant to post for that very fear. But it's going to happen sooner or later. There's already a video of 2 brothers going who got into a skirmish with some cops in a restaurant. After watching that video, I was amazed that they lived to tell the tale.

But people are going to start to fight back.

[PFunk]

23. Add my agreement to this. Folks ARE eventually going to start striking back.

We've coming to the tipping point here folks. Something's gonna have to change quickly to avoid this.

[sybylla]

19. Exactly.

How many of us want to state it as a fact, as a fear, as something we perceive to be a sickening consequence of unrelenting systemic racial prejudice? And haven't because no one wants to be accused of giving someone such an idea.

I'm with you. And I'm extremely thankful for the Rude One today.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

17. Why would any good cop ever risk breaking rank and 'rat out' bad cops if this is what happens?

[marym625]

20. The rage

Is seeping through my pores. An anger I have never felt before.

I don't believe that the cop will be indicted for murdering Tamir Rice. He'll walk just like the others. And then, shit will get real.

[AllyCat]

21. There is a special place in hell for these fearful thugs who are so afraid of unarmed citizens

Last edited Wed Dec 3, 2014, 09:11 PM - Edit history (1)

That they think they have to kill them. They aren't afraid. They are assholes.

[Cha]

22. Senator Schumer calls for DOJ to launch Fed Investigation..

ABC News ✔ @ABC
Follow
NY Sen. Schumer calls for Justice Dept. to launch a federal investigation into Eric Garner's death "as soon as possible."
11:37 AM - 3 Dec 2014 508 Retweets 204 favorites

http://theobamadiary.com/2014/12/03/president-obama-delivers-remarks-at-white-house-tribal-nations-conference/#comments


The Daily Edge @TheDailyEdge
Follow
WSJ: Hundreds of police killings not even counted in federal statistics We wrote this in Aug: http://liberalbias.com/post/3881/police-abuse-power-isolated-incidents/ …
5:02 AM - 3 Dec 2014

http://theobamadiary.com/2014/12/03/2014-your-most-memorable-moments/#comments

[The Wizard]

24. Easily frightened people

acquiesce to authority and that fear, justified or not, causes them to shake in their boots and agree with the authoritarians, be they moral or immoral.
What is happening before our eyes is flat out immoral on a par with Nazi Germany, maybe no on that scale, but nonetheless immoral. Minorities are singled out and designated for special treatment. There's a well oiled propaganda network in place to promote this immoral behavior and spread fear.
Local police are armed with military equipment that is usually designated for that battlefield against equally armed enemies. Police are trained to see all those not in uniform or holding a badge as the enemy.
Our country uses military force to invade sovereign nations, overthrow the government and seize control of the natural resources. The rest of the world sees us as a rouge nation bent on empire.
Soon we will be a rotting carcass of what was once a great nation. We are a violent culture both at home and abroad, the ugly American if you will.
I have take a shot at Fox News for fomenting racial hatred and dividing Americans for Republican political advantage. Somewhere the ghost of Josef Goebbels is green with envy. Pravda TAAS and Izvestia look like a Disney cartoon compared with the bile coming from Fox.
Members of the Ferguson Police have ties to a domestic terrorist organization, the Ku Klux Klan. White police often see black males as targets because they've been worked into a rage against the first black president who has been depicted by the likes of Fox News and hate radio as the anti Christ, Hitler and Stalin all in one. In essence Fox and hate radio have undermined the government without consequence.
Let's hope enough Americans see the light cast upon us by The Enlightenment before Fox News and the Republican propaganda machine send us back to the Dark Ages.

[nilesobek]

25. This article makes a great point.

Its just like the torture thing that way. This is bad for society as a whole. When people stop surrendering to cops out of fear of beatings and killings then we will have running gun battles in the streets between cops and people afraid to give up.