And for an unarmed man for selling single cigarettes?
I am as big of supporter of LEO as anyone else, but these cops are coming across as much as thugs as the criminal they apprehended. Disgusting.
I never said that. I simply said that the hold the officer used was sanctioned by the NYPD, that his black supervisor was at the scene, and didn't feel it was excessive force. Nobody knows what the exact charges of the case were. Different charges bring a different set of requirements for finding someone guilty. If the Grand Jury, which more than likely consisted of blacks didn't feel it was excessive, based on the charges presented them, than I'm not going to argue their decision.
In my career, I had to use physical force on individuals. I was only allowed to use the amount of force necessary to get the individual to comply with an order. Had I overstepped the line, I would have been investigated, and most likely been brought up on departmental charges. In this case, I haven't read anything about the NYPD pursuing departmental charges against this officer. If they did, then they would have to go after every other officer/supervisor who was at the scene at the time of incident.
Garner was involved in a fight. The cops were called. The police wanted to handcuff him (place him under arrest) until they could find out what really happened.
He resisted arrest. He argued with the cops and swatted away their hands during their first attempts to NOT USE FORCE. He gave them no choice.
He died because he had asthma , heart disease ,was obese and over exerted himself in the struggle. His heart couldn't take it.
If he had run from the police and had a heart attack, would you have blamed the cops for his death ?
That is not why the cops were called to the scene. That is just what the media wants you to believe.