NYCLU Statement on NYPD Decision to Fire Daniel Pantaleo
NEW YORK - NYPD Police Commissioner James O鈥橬eill announced today that Daniel Pantaleo has been fired from the department for placing Eric Garner in a fatal chokehold in 2014.
The NYCLU issued the following statement from Executive Director Donna Lieberman in response:
鈥淔or five long years, the family of Eric Garner has fought for some semblance of justice after Garner鈥檚 life was taken from them by Daniel Pantaleo. While today鈥檚 decision will not bring Eric Garner back to life or erase the pain felt by his family, it affirms what we all know: Pantaleo used excessive force on an unarmed Black man and is not fit to serve as a police officer.
鈥淲hile this is some measure of long-overdue relief, we have a long way to go to achieve true police accountability. The NYPD must take further steps to rebuild trust between officers and the communities they serve, put an end to police brutality against communities of color, and ensure what happened to Eric Garner will never happen again.鈥�
