New York Civilian Review Board Recommends Disciplinary Action Against Officer Who Killed Eric Garner

Daniel Pantaleo, the NYPD officer who murdered Eric Garner in Staten Island on July 17, 2014, still has his job and reportedly made $40,000 in overtime in the two years since Garner's death. After a painfully slow process, New York's Civilian Complaint Review Board has reportedly substantiated two complaints against Pantaleo confirming that he did indeed use an illegal chokehold on Garner, restricting his breathing, which eventually killed him. Pantaleo originally denied that he used a chokehold, referring to it as a "takedown."

The chokehold move Pantaleo subjected Garner to is banned from use by the NYPD. Garner, who pleaded with the officers, saying "I can't breathe" eleven times before dying from Pantaleo's chokehold, would have been 47 years old this week. The killing of Garner was captured on video.

Garner was arrested for selling untaxed cigarettes. In 2014, a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo for the killing of Garner.

The Civilian Complaint Review Board recommended departmental charges against Pantaleo. The CCRB only has the power to investigate police abuse and make recommendations—the NYPD is not obliged to follow them. The CCRB does not prosecute criminal charges.

Pantaleo has displayed a history of misconduct, as evidenced by a CCRB leak that showed 14 allegations of misconduct previous to the choking death of Garner. Pantaleo's harshest punishment for this misconduct was just two vacation days docked while the leaker was fired.