Eric Garner’s Family Gets $5.9 Million In Settlement With New York City

Eric Garner's family has received a settlement from the city.

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Days before the first anniversary of Eric Garner’s death at the hands of an NYPD officer, New York City has reached a $5.9 million dollar settlement with Garner’s family. The settlement helped prevent a $75 million dollar wrongful death lawsuit the family planned on filing if the city couldn’t reach an agreement before July 17.

Jonathan C. Moore, the lawyer for Garner’s family, said:

“The City of New York has agreed to pay $5.9 million to resolve the Garner case.”

New York City Comptroller, Scott M. Stringer released a statement regarding the settlement which reads:

“Following a judicious review of the claim and facts of this case, my office was able to reach a settlement with the estate of Eric Garner that is in the best interests of all parties. We are all familiar with the events that lead to the death of Eric Garner and the extraordinary impact his passing has had on our City and our nation. It forced us to examine the state of race relations, and the relationship between our police force and the people they serve. While we cannot discuss the details of this settlement, and the City has not admitted liability, 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.”

Garner, whose death was ruled a homicide, was killed last year after he was put into an illegal chokehold by Daniel Pantaleo who tried to arrest him along with several other officers on the grounds of Garner allegedly selling “untaxed cigarettes.” 

An investigation by the U.S. Justice Department into the case is ongoing.

[via NYT]

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