The Staten Island DA has some explaining to do.
After news broke that a grand jury decided not to indict the Staten Island police officer who killed Eric Garner by placing him in a chokehold, many have taken to the streets to demand answers.
According to NBC News, District Attorney Daniel Donovan could have played a part in why the decision came up as no indictment for Officer Daniel Pantaleo, as he never asked the grand jury to consider a reckless endangerment charge.
The site reports:
District Attorney Daniel Donovan only asked grand jurors to consider manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges against NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo, the cop seen on widely-watched amateur video wrapping his arm around Garner’s neck as the heavyset, asthmatic 43-year-old yelled, “I can’t breathe!” nearly a dozen times during the July 17 confrontation, the source said.
It’s not clear why Donovan left the lesser charge off the table, and he has said strict confidentiality laws surrounding grand jury proceedings prevent him from discussing the details of the case.
Donovan released a statement after the judge’s ruling that said he could only release information contained in the court order.
“I respect the court’s exercise of its discretion, and will abide by the court’s order. As such, I will have no further comment in connection with the grand jury proceedings relating to the matter of the investigation into the death of Eric Garner,” the statement said.
We will keep you updated with any more details that come forward from this decision.
SOURCE: NBC News | PHOTO CREDIT: NBC
