After a Staten Island grand jury decided to not indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo for fatally choking 43-year-old Eric Garner, his widow addressed the decision on Wednesday. At a press conference held by Rev. Al Sharpton‘s National Action Network, Garner’s wife had angry words aimed towards the NYPD.
Esaw Garner, flanked by her family and Rev. Sharpton, thanked the public for their support then pointed sharp words towards Officer Pantaleo. Mrs. Garner tearfully stated that she will seek a resolution in her husband’s name.
Esaw Garner at the NAN press conference:
I want to thank everybody for their support, for their continued support. And like Reverend said, this fight ain’t over, it’s just begun. I’m determined to get justice for my husband because he shouldn’t have been killed in that way.
He shouldn’t have been killed in any way. He should be here celebrating Christmas and Thanksgiving and everything else with his children and his grandchildren. And he can’t. Why? Because a cop did wrong. Somebody who gets paid to do right did wrong and he’s not held accountable for it. But my husband’s death will not be in vain. As long as I have a breath in my body I will fight the fight to the end.
Officer Pantaleo issued a written apology to the Garner family, and a reporter asked if Mrs. Garner would accept the apology.
“Hell, No! The time for remorse should have been when my husband was yelling to breathe. That would have been the time for him to show some type of remorse or some time of care for another human being’s life,” she responded.
Garner’s mother, Gwen Carr, also spoke at the press conference and criticized the grand jury over its decision despite the video evidence that depicted how her son was killed.
Watch the clip of the press conference below. Hit the following page to see a longer version.
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Photo: ABC News
