Justice Department to investigate Eric Garner’s death

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The news of no indictment in the death of Eric Garner sent shock waves across the nation.

On July 17th, Eric Garner was approached by several police officers, in what they claim Garner was illegally selling cigarettes.

The encounter would turn fatal when officers used an illegal method to restrain Garner.

Garner was put into a chokehold and moments later he was gasping “I can’t breathe”.

While the indictment was on camera, moreover, declared a homicide by the NY medical examiner, it still wasn’t enough to bring indictment charges against the officer who took Garner’s life.

With no indictment, many were left to wonder what will happen next.

Shortly after news surfaced that no indictment would happen on the state level, Attorney General Eric Holder announced Wednesday that the Justice Department will conduct a civil rights investigation into the death of Eric Garner.

“Prosecutors will conduct an independent, thorough, fair and expeditious investigation,” Holder said. “The department will conduct a complete review of the material gathered during the local investigation.”

“We’ve all seen the video of Mr. Garner’s death,” Holder said. “His death, of course, was a tragedy. All lives must be valued. All lives.”

During the conference, Holder urged demonstrators to remain peaceful while protesting the grand jury decision.

“This is not a New York issue or a Ferguson issue alone,” he said. “Those who have protested peacefully across our great nation following the grand jury’s decision in Ferguson have made that clear.”

The Justice Department decision in Eric Garner’s death case came just one week after a grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri declined to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the death of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown. That decision sparked days of protests across the country.