Another grand jury has said another cop who killed an unarmed black man — this time, with video evidence presented — should not have to go to trial. But it’s actually far more complicated than the Staten Island grand jury decision. As Amanda Taub writes at Vox: “For many who wanted (Daniel) Pantaleo to be punished for (Eric) Garner’s death, it’s a scandal that he has gotten away with what they see as a crime. But the bigger scandal is that what he did arguably wasn’t a crime at all. Our legal standards and legal system make it difficult — if not impossible — to prosecute police violence.”
In his testimony to the grand jury, Daniel Pantaleo said he never intended to do Eric Garner any harm. But does the video tell another story? Via the New York Times.
Daily News front page: We Can’t Breathe.
New York Times editorial: Death by chokehold for the crime of selling loose cigarettes demands a Justice Department investigation.
Updates from the streets of New York, where protesters are chanting, “We can’t breathe,” after the grand jury’s decision not to charge Daniel Pantaleo. Mayor Bill de Blasio called for calm from the mostly peaceful protesters but also said, “Anyone who believes in the values of this country should feel called to action right now.” Via the New York Times.
Do police body cameras actually work? One problem: They can do more than simply monitor cops. Via the Atlantic.
Rand Paul blames Garner’s death on New York City’s cigarette tax. Via CNN.
Question: What is the difference between an old fashioned Southern KKK lynch mob and the Teabaghead-Republican Party.
Answers, anyone?