Eric Garner's family reacts to judge's recommendation

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Reverend Al Sharpton and Eric Garner’s daughter are calling on the Police commissioner of New York City James O’Neill to take action immediately after a judge recommended Officer Daniel Pantaleo be fired for his role in the 2014 chokehold death of Garner. 

“It’s been too long. We’ve been waiting for five years for someone to say that he did something wrong,” said Emerald Garner.

“The Commissioner needs to immediately, unequivocally accept the recommendation of the judge and do it right away,” Sharpton said. However he also said this was not justice for the Garner family.

“Justice for the Garner family would have been a federal proceeding or a criminal proceeding in the local courts,” Sharpton said.

Gwen Carr, Eric Garner’s mother, said that the judge’s report brought her some relief but that it also was overdue and fell short of true accountability. 

In a statement, she said: “It’s past time for Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYPD to end their obstruction, stop spreading misleading talking points and finally take action for my son.”