N.Y. Prosecutor Opens Grand Jury Probe of Choking Death

[Purveyor]

Source: Bloomberg

By Christie Smythe Aug 19, 2014 12:56 PM ET

A New York City prosecutor said he will present evidence to a state grand jury that will probe the death of Eric Garner, a Staten Island man who died last month after police allegedly choked him while attempting to arrest him.

Staten Island District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan said in a statement today that the grand jury will convene as early as next month. The jury will weigh whether to indict people involved in the incident, and its proceedings will be secret, Donovan said.

“After a careful review of the recent findings of the medical examiner regarding the cause and manner of Mr. Garner’s death, I have determined that it is appropriate to present evidence,” he said in the statement.

Donovan’s announcement came on the same day that prosecutors in Ferguson, Missouri, said a grand jury there will investigate the shooting death of teenager Michael Brown. Brown’s killing on Aug. 9, allegedly by a local police officer, sparked protests and riots in the St. Louis suburb.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-19/n-y-prosecutor-calls-grand-jury-probe-of-police-choking-death.html

[DLnyc]

1. A Staten Island (County) DA is not likely to work very hard for an indictment

The local DAs depend day in and day out on the local police department to make their cases. I have served on such a grand jury in such a case. The DA did everything he could to avoid bringing an indictment against the officer. This case needs to go to a federal grand jury or to an independent prosecutor. But I really doubt that it will. There is a deep-seated "us-against-them" mentality in the police and prosecutor culture and they work very hard to protect "their own" (even when one of "their own" might be a dangerous psychopath).

[7962]

2. "Probe"? Just watch the damn video!!!!! nt

[Alkene]

3. "Eric Garner, a Staten Island man who died last month..."

"...after police allegedly choked him while attempting to arrest him."

Seems to be fairly well documented on video.

"I can breath, I can't breath, I can't breath"
-Eric Garner, while being choked by police

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