Eric Garner: Widow And Mother Break Silence

Eric Garner’s widow and his mother are now speaking out about his death and the Daniel Pantaleo grand jury decision. Gwen Carr, Garner’s mother, addressed the public during a press conference with Reverend Al Sharpton, on Wednesday evening.

Esaw Garner, the widow, said, “This fight ain’t over. It’s just begun. I’m determined to get justice for my husband. Because he shouldn’t have been killed in that way, he shouldn’t have been killed in any way.” When the media asked Esaw Garner is she would accept an apology from NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo, Eric Garner’s widow responded with a, “H** no.”

If a reference to the Daniel Pantaleo apology question, Esaw Garner also said, “I could care less about his condolences. He’s still working; he’s still getting a paycheck, he’s still feeding his kids. And my husband is 6 feet under, and I’m looking for a way to feed my kids now. Who’s gonna play Santa Claus for my grandkids this year?”

Exactly what Eric Garner did for a living remains unclear. The Garner attorney told CNN that the man who died as a result of the July police chokehold incident was part of the “underground economy” and did not elaborate further.

The term underground economy means working off the books for cash and not paying taxes on the income. In NYC, it is reportedly not uncommon to see folks selling loose cigarettes, water, fake designer purses, and umbrellas on the sidewalk – until police officers happen along and shut the operations down. Such undeclared income allows the individual to remain eligible for welfare in many cases. Garner was previously employed as a parks department horticulturalists, according to New York Gritty.

Gwen Carr addressed the video of Eric Garner and the police chokehold which the Daniel Pantaleo grand jury viewed as evidence in the case during the press conference as well. “I don’t know what vide they were looking at. Evidently it wasn’t the same one that the rest of the world was looking at. We’ve got to make this right.”

Eric Garner’s mother expressed her gratitude to Attorney General Eric Holder for announcing that the federal government is stepping in and initiating an investigation into the NYPD chokehold death case. “This thing is just breaking my heart, just pulling me apart, Carr added. Garner said, “I can’t breathe” 11 times during the chokehold video with the New York City police officers.

Reverend Al Sharpton announced that a national march on Washington, D.C. in honor or Eric Garner will take place on December 13.
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[Image via: NPR]