Eric Holder Announces DOJ Investigation into Violations of Eric Garner's Civil Rights

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In the past few days we’ve seen that grand juries prefer to indict ham sandwiches over police officers who kill young Black men and boys. First, Darren Wilson escaped indictment after prosecutors got the law wrong, cross examined witnesses that blew holes in Wilson’s narrative and found a way to ask hard questions when witnesses offered testimony that proved damaging to Wilson’s narrative.

As if to add insult to injury, law enforcement in Missouri showed more interest in going after Michael Brown’s grieving step-father for his reaction to the blatant miscarriage of justice when the Grand Jury decided against indicting Darren Wilson.

Even I saw where this case was going. Too many people in America know it because they’ve experienced it, know someone who has gone through it or live every day of their lives fearing today is the day they will join that club of parents whose children were killed by police officers who, let’s say, have issues with Black people.

I had some hope the grand jury in New York would watch the video of Eric Garner being choke held to death, along with the other evidence and recognize that there was a preponderance of evidence to indict. It was caught on video. Everyone saw it. We heard Eric Garner say he couldn’t breathe and still, the police officer continued to hold him in that illegal chokehold. We heard Eric Garner say he can’t breathe repeatedly until he breathed no more. What’s not to indict?

These are not the only cases in which justice was denied. Tell it to the parents of Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin and a host of other young Black men and boys who were unarmed, but gunned down by men with guns and something we’re calling police training.

Fortunately, our Attorney-General saw the Garner video and the Grand Jury’s decision. On Wednesday evening, Eric Holder announced that the Department of Justice will conduct an investigation into violations of Eric Garner’s civil rights.

Good evening. I want to provide an update regarding the case involving Eric Garner, a Staten Island resident, who died tragically in July.

Since Mr. Garner’s death, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Civil Rights Division and the FBI have been monitoring the local case closely while allowing the local investigation, led by the District Attorney’s office in Staten Island, to proceed first.

Earlier today, the grand jury declined to return an indictment in this case. Now that the local investigation has concluded, I am here to announce that the Justice Department will proceed with a federal civil rights investigation into Mr. Garner’s death.

This afternoon I spoke with the widow of Eric Garner to inform her and her family of our decision to investigate potential federal civil rights violations. I have been in touch with President Obama and Mayor de Blasio regarding our decision as well.

Our prosecutors will conduct an independent, thorough, fair and expeditious investigation.

In addition to performing our own investigative work, the Department will conduct a complete review of the material gathered during the local investigation.

We have all seen the video of Mr. Garner’s arrest. His death, of course, was a tragedy. All lives must be valued. Mr. Garner’s death is one of several recent incidents across the country that have tested the sense of trust that must exist between law enforcement and the communities they are charged to serve and protect. This is not a New York issue or a Ferguson issue alone. Those who have protested peacefully across our great nation following the grand jury’s decision in Ferguson have made that clear.

As the brother of a retired police officer, I know in a personal way about the bravery of the men and women in uniform who put their lives at risk every day to protect public safety. The vast majority of our law enforcement officers perform their duties honorably and are committed to respecting their fellow citizens civil rights as they carry out their very challenging work.

It is for their sake as well that we must seek to heal the breakdown in trust we have seen. Earlier this week, I traveled to Atlanta to begin a series of interactions to begin this process – and officials around the country at every level of the Department of Justice will continue this vital ongoing work. As the Justice Department’s independent investigations into the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner proceed, I will continue these conversations as we seek to restore trust, to rebuild understanding and to foster cooperation between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

I know that substantial numbers of people in New York and across the country will be disappointed and frustrated by the outcome of the state grand jury proceeding today. I know many will plan to voice their disappointment publicly through protests. This is the right of all Americans. But as I have said before, throughout our history, the most successful movements have been those that adhered to the principles of nonviolence. I urge all those inclined to demonstrate tonight and in the days ahead to remain peaceful in their demonstrations, and not to engage in activities that deflect our attention from the very serious matters our nation must confront.

According to UPI, Holder and U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch informed New York Mayor Bill de Blasio that the investigation, initiated by Lynch’s office, would be done “thoroughly and expeditiusly.”

Lynch, who was nominated to succeed Eric Holder as the attorney-general has been monitoring the case. Garner’s family and civil rights activists have called for this investigation for months.

Holder urged people to protest peacefully. He’s right. Peaceful protest is the way to go. It’s also understandable why some people who see and live the sort of injustice that occurred in Staten Island, in Missouri and continues to occur across the land are saying no justice, no peace.