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A Year After Eric Garner's Death, Chokehold Cop Eager To Get Off Desk Duty


By

Nathan Tempey

Published Jul 12, 2015

Modified Apr 9, 2018


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By

Nathan Tempey

Published Jul 12, 2015

Modified Apr 9, 2018


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Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who choked Eric Garner to the ground and, with other cops, held him down, killing him almost a year ago, is raring to get out of the office and start making collars again, his lawyer told the New York Daily News.

"The unbelievable part is [the national outcry over the killing] has not soured him one bit on doing law enforcement," Stuart London said. "It hasn't diminished his desire to help the citizens of this city."

Pantaleo escaped state prosecution, as did his fellow officers who also contributed to Garner's death, but he remains on desk duty pending a federal civil rights investigation and an NYPD Internal Affairs inquiry. At home on Staten Island, he has police watching his house around the clock in response to death threats.

Unable to get a comment from him, the Daily News canvassed his neighbors. Some told the tabloid he's trying to stay out of sight, with one describing him as "like a shadow." But one anonymous local said he's not aloof—he's just plain rude.

Everybody in my neighborhood is very friendly. We say "hi" to each other. When you drive by his house, there's that speed bump so everybody goes by nice and slow. If he's out there, we'll wave. Nothing. You get the cold shoulder...He's a miserable bastard.

Garner's widow, Esaw Garner, still wants to see Pantaleo jailed—she told the paper, "I think [he] should be thrown in the cell with Big Bubba and nobody watch 'em!"

Tagged

broken windows

daniel pantaleo

desk duty

eric garner

federal civil rights investigation

internal affairs

nypd

police brutality


Nathan Tempey

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