Roommates, many legislative changes are being made in states across the country in light of recent tragedies that have struck the black community. New York, among many other states, has just passed a law named after Eric Garner.
According to CBS News, the New York State Assembly passed the Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act on Monday, which criminalizes the use of chokeholds hat result in injury or death.
“Almost six years ago we heard Eric Garner tell police ‘I can’t breathe’ as he was put into a chokehold by an NYPD officer,” Assembly member Walter T. Mosely said in a statement. “His words now speak from the grave as we deal with the policed killing of George Floyd under nearly identical circumstances.”
Under the bill, any officer that injuries or kills a person through the use of a “chokehold or similar restraint” can be charged with a class C felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The use of chokeholds by the NYPD had previously been banned in 1993, but there was no legislation to hold officers accountable. Speaker Carl Heastie says the ban was just not enough to protect Eric Garner.
“I have worked with my Assembly colleagues to reform out state’s broken criminal justice system. Holding law enforcement officers accountable for their actions if a necessary part of that,” Heastie said. “The NYPD ban on chokeholds was not enough to protest Eric Garner, and it is not enough today. This legislation will put an end to the practice across the state.”
The New York State Assembly released a statement citing that 996 people have reported being put in chokehold by NYPD since the death of Eric Garner. Lawmakers are hopeful that this new legislation will drastically lower this number.
