Statement by Gwen Carr, Mother of Eric Garner, After Oral Arguments Cut Short & Recessed in Carr v. de Blasio
New York, NY - Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner, reacted to the unexpected shortening and recess of today's Carr v. de Blasio oral arguments after a City Law Department attorney experienced a power outage impacting his video of court proceedings. The hearing presided over by New York State Supreme Court Judge Joan A. Madden, will resume tomorrow, Wednesday, August 5, at 11:30 AM.
Statement by Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner:
"It's been over 6 years since the NYPD killed my son, and it's been over 6 years of cover-ups and delays by Mayor de Blasio, the NYPD and others when it comes to disciplining and firing all the other officers besides Pantaleo who engaged in misconduct related to Eric's murder. Mayor de Blasio and his people want to make it seem like everything has been dealt with, but we all know that's not true. There's unfinished business that the Mayor, the NYPD, and others want to sweep under the rug when they should have already fired the other officers besides Pantaleo who lied, illegally leaked sealed records, did nothing to intervene when Eric cried "I can't breathe" eleven times and other misconduct. I look forward to this case moving forward tomorrow."
Background
In August 2019, Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner, and Ellisha Flagg Garner, sister of Eric Garner, along with members of Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), announced the filing of a petition to New York Supreme Court demanding a judicial inquiry into the violation and neglect of duty by Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner O’Neill and others related to the unjust killing of Eric Garner, the cover-up that continues to this day, and the related failure to discipline officers for misconduct in a meaningful or timely manner.
Mayor de Blasio responded to this request for justice by filing a motion to dismiss the petition. On August 4, 2020, New York State Supreme Court Judge Joan A. Madden began to hear arguments in the city’s motion to dismiss, however, the hearing was cut short after the City's counsel experienced a power outage impacting his video of the court proceeding.
The hearing resumes Wednesday, August 5, 2020, at 11:30 AM. The public and media can tune in here: http://wowza.nycourts.gov/
CPR will hold a press availability with Gwen Carr, other petitioners, and their counsel, approximately 30 minutes after the hearing concludes on Wednesday, August 5th. The press availability (30 minutes after the hearing concludes) registration/link is here: https://us02web.zoom.us/
Parties to the petition include Gwen Carr, Ellisha Flagg Garner, Constance Malcolm, mother of Ramarley Graham, Loyda Colon of Justice Committee, Joo-Hyun Kang of Communities United for Police Reform, Monifa Bandele of MomsRising, Kesi Foster of Make the Road, and Mark Winston Griffith of Brooklyn Movement Center. Alvin Bragg, Co-Director of New York Law School’s (NYLS) Racial Justice Project and former NYS Chief Deputy Attorney General, and civil rights lawyer Gideon Oliver represent the petitioners in this case.
The petition demands an independent judicial inquiry into matters including:
- Violations and neglect of duties in connection with the stop and arrest of Mr. Garner and the force used by officers on Mr. Garner;
- Violations and neglect of duties concerning the failure, subsequent to Mr. Garner’s death, to train NYPD officers adequately on appropriate guidelines on the use of force and the prohibition on the use of chokeholds;
- Violations and neglect of duties in connection with filing false official NYPD documents concerning Mr. Garner’s arrest and making false statements in connection with the NYPD’s internal investigation of Mr. Garner’s death;
- Violations and neglect of duties concerning the unlawful leaking of Mr. Garner’s alleged arrest history and the unlawful leaking of Mr. Garner’s alleged medical history;
- Violations and neglect of duties in connection with incomplete and inaccurate statements to the media by the City concerning the July 17, 2014 stop and arrest of Mr. Garner;
- Violations and neglect of duties in connection with the medical care provided to Mr. Garner; and
- Violations and neglect of duties concerning the City’s investigation and adjudication of, and the imposition of discipline for, the aforementioned violations and neglect of duties, including (for example) false statements by NYPD officers concerning Mr. Garner’s arrest.
Click here to view petition to New York Supreme Court.
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