Agree on police not needing to take a medical history before an arrest. It just appeared to the couple LEOs I spoke with that NYPD officers being on Garner could be a contributing factor to positional asphyxia.
It appears to me that Garner is in some sort of distress after the arrest. What did the NYPD do to render assistance in addition to callng for EMTs?
Did the autopsy mention anything about a forced prone position? I will check.
As an asthmatic myself certain positions do compromise especially if I am already a bit short of breath. Garner was no doubt short of breath from just arguing. For me slowing down and concentrating on breathing helps as does standing. I simply don’t know how anyone nonmedical other than Garner could have known how to help once his breathing was compromised. This was a tragic cycle so NY could get their cigarette tax. But I don’t see the police as more culpable than the man who knew he had asthma and with his record no doubt he knew what the police would do when he resisted.