In an unusual move, Attorney General Loretta Lynch has taken New York-based lawyers and investigators off the team tasked to Eric Garner’s case, meaning the federal criminal investigation into Eric Garner’s death may finally be moving forward — two years after his death.
The investigation into Garner’s 2014 death was stalled due to conflicting opinions on whether or not a criminal case would hold up in court. Federal prosecutors and Federal Bureau of Investigation staffers based in New York were hesitant to move forward, while the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department in Washington believes there is sufficient evidence to bring forth federal criminal charges.
Garner died in Staten Island after officers confronted him for selling loose cigarettes. Officer Daniel Pantaleo put Garner into a fatal chokehold, at which time Garner uttered his now famous last words, “I can’t breathe,” a phrase that has become symbolic for activists protesting police brutality. Pantaleo has remained on desk duty since the incident.
