Read this from an article in the New York Times; a statement by the Garner family’s attorney.
Jonathan C. Moore, a lawyer for the Garner family, said they hoped that federal prosecutors would continue to examine the case, and he urged people upset by the decision to voice their dismay, but to do so peacefully.
“We’re astounded by the outcome of the grand jury process and that after hearing months of evidence and having deliberated that they would find no true bill as to any potential criminal charge,” Mr. Moore said in a brief phone interview.
Isn’t this what a grand jury is supposed to do? Take time, examine the evidence and deliberate? Why is the outcome always wrong, but only when the decision does not fit preconceived notions?
Isn’t there a lesson for all? Don’t violate the law or put yourself in an incriminating situation, and if confronted by the police keep your mouth shut, don’t antagonize and don’t resist arrest. Very simple rules that if followed by Brown and Garner they would be alive today.
Unless we simply want to eliminate police, we better recognize they are human beings doing a tough and often dangerous job and that they will not always do it perfectly or without their own emotions. Those whose goal is to have policing change also need to look at change themselves.
Of the 23 members of the Garner grand jury, 14 are white, nine are non-white and at least five are black, according to two people familiar with the grand jury’s racial makeup. Source: NBC News
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
I don’t know….I agree with what you are saying, however, i am somewhat reluctant to equate what happened to garner to what actually happened to brown. we do have video on what happened to garner , not so for the Michael brown shooting. i am not suggesting what happened to garner was racially motivated either.nor do we know what evidence was presented to the grand jury in the garner case. no doubt a federal civil rights case will ensue.
in looking at the video it appears he was “over coped”….I see minimal resistance to the arrest and yet once the decision to arrest was made the police must follow thru…..using all appropriate/permitted procedures necessary to effect an arrest. distinctions between choke hold or head lock are important to the outcome of the gj. choke holds (when done correctly) are lethal and cut off the airway and make speech virtually impossible. recall he cried out” i can’t breath” a number of times.
nor should we give garner a free ride and find him totally faultless of what eventually befell him. he has an extensive arrest record( petty crimes) although he was viewed by the community and local shopkeepers mostly as an on-going nusance. and so the police and garner had an extensive history. Again, i dont consider what happened racially motivated (maybe because i am not black) but i am certainly willing to entertain that what happened that day was wrong though possibly unavoidable.. One of the first things i learned when i worked in an industrial relations capacity is that” the punishment should fit the crime”. selling loose cigarettes (tax free) should not be a primary reason to send out six cops to arrest and kill someone when as per hannity, cops are now only issuing summons for small amount marijuana possession. but than agin, its about the benjamins…..and the city collecting taxes. pretty sick i think.
where is this going?certainly, with the mayor at the helm….you can expect the city will be paying a tidy sum if not the full 75 million to the garner family who has recently filed a suit against the nypd.
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There are several basic questions. Was the “crime” of selling cigarettes worth all this on either side and who tells police to even pursue such action? Politicians no doubt. Did Garner resist? yes. Did police probably over react? yes. Was their an intent to kill anyone? no. Does a choke hold if that’s what it was, kill? not initially as it renders the person unconscious, but in this case we are told he subsequently had heart attack. Garner didn’t deserve to die and the cop doesn’t deserve to be pursued as a criminal in my opinion. I keep thinking of all the situations they are put in and the types of people they must deal with along with split second decisions often required. Why would anyone do this job if they are second guessed by people who don’t have the facts and were not present at the event? Every cop will be hesitant to act and when they don’t they will be crucified because some innocent person was hurt or they will be killed and some rap lyrics will glorify they vent. The basic problem is the people white or black or any other race who place themselves in a position to be confronted by the police.
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This isn’t a Federal case. And we all know that the current AG is not a fair minded man, when it comes to race relations. I think they have over stepped their bounds in Ferguson, and will do it in NYC.
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After viewing the film on Tv countless times I find it impossible how a Grand Jury would come back without an indictment. Remember an indictment is not a decision on culpability but only an admission of possible culpability. Whiule I agree that people who are confronted by police need to be obedient of the police nevertheless they should not be killed unless they are placing the policeman in imminent danger. In the case of Garner with 4 or 5 cops around him I don’t ythink any officer was in such a position. Cuff him and bind him but no need for a murder! The problem appears obvious to me in such cases an independent prosecutor is needed. You can’t have the Blue Wall of complicity intimidate the prosecutor with whom he needs to work in order to do his job. While I am sure there are many good cops they are in a position to protect their own and do so all to often. I agree we need them but we can’t have situations like we have seen in the Brown and especially the Garner case.
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Do u seriously think they were trying to kill him or wanted to? They were trying to cuff him and he resisted. What should they have done? Since we weren’t there, we can’t answer that, but I tend to give the benefit of the doubt to the police. Do u believe the grand jury was not capable of assessing the evidence? I don’t know why anyone would be a cop given they can’t win.
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He was selling loose cigarettes he should die for that????
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
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Of course not, but do you think anyone was trying to kill him?
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