Just days after Eric Garner’s family rejected NY City’s settlement offer of $5 million, the family has agreed to a settlement of $5.9 million in Garner’s death at the hands of an overzealous cop.
Garner, 43, died after a Staten Island cop put him in a choke hold during a July 2014 arrest for selling loose cigarettes. Garner’s dying words: “I can’t breathe”, became a battle cry for the oppressed.
The cop, who is white, was assigned to desk duty during the investigation into Garner’s death. Predictably, investigator’s determined the cop did not use a chokehold on Garner, even though video evidence proved otherwise.
In October 2014, Garner’s estate filed a $75 million wrongful death suit against the city.
The city’s offer of $5 million to settle was rejected outright by Garner’s estate. The city came back with a $5.9 million settlement on Monday.
“I believe that we have reached an agreement that acknowledges the tragic nature of Mr. Garner’s death while balancing my office’s fiscal responsibility to the City,” said City Comptroller Scott Stringer on Monday. He added: “the City has not admitted liability.”
Garner’s family will share the settlement money with the mother of his illegitimate 1-year-old daughter, Legacy.
Legacy’s mother, Jewel Miller, told the NY Daily News Garner’s widow, Esaw, didn’t want the public to know Garner was unfaithful. “Esaw is just money hungry,” Miller said.
The Justice Department continues its investigation into Garner’s death. The head of the Sergeants Benevolent Association criticized the settlement as “obscene” and “shameful”.
“Where is the justice for New York taxpayers? Where is the consistency in the civil system?” Ed Mullins asked.
“In my view, the city has chosen to abandon its fiscal responsibility to all of its citizens and genuflect to the select few who curry favor with the city government,” Mullins told The NY Post.
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