Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (Central Brooklyn) yesterday demanded that the New York Police Department fire the officers involved in the highly questionable deaths of civilians Eric Garner and Ramarley Graham .
But Police Benevolent Association President Patrick J. Lynch responded that Jeffries is seeking revenge and not justice.
Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who has a history of disciplinary issues, asphyxiated Eric Garner on a sidewalk in Staten Island in 2014, irrespective of Garner declaring 11 separate times that he could not breathe. Officer Richard Haste chased 18-year-old Ramarley Graham into his Bronx home and shot him to death — a decision a prosecutor called “neither reasonable or justifiable.”
Both officers have retained their taxpayer-funded jobs and enjoyed significant increases in pay since the horrific deaths of both victims.
Pantaleo was placed on modified desk duty shortly after Garner’s death in 2015. That year, Pantaleo made $105,061 with overtime. In FY 2016, he made $119,996 ($23,000 of that was in overtime, while another $12,853 came from “unspecified pay,” which could include bonuses or retroactive pay).
Haste has received nearly $25,000 in raises since killing Graham four years ago. Haste earned a salary of approximately $76,000 in the 2015 fiscal year and received over $2,000 in overtime pay and $10,147 in “other pay.” In fiscal year 2012, Haste earned a salary of over $53,000, plus nearly $9,000 in overtime and close to $4,800 in other pay. Haste was indicted by a grand jury, but the indictment was tossed out because of a prosecutorial mistake.
“The administration’s coddling of police officers like Daniel Pantaleo and Richard Haste – both of whom took the life of innocent, unarmed African-American men – is unacceptable and unconscionable. The majority of New York City police officers are hardworking public servants who are in the community to protect and serve. However, those police officers who cross the line and take the life of innocent civilians without justification must be held accountable, not rewarded with overtime and bonus pay,” said Jeffries.
Jeffries, who is a member of the Congressional Black Caucus leadership and House Judiciary Committee, made his comments along side Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner, Constance Malcolm, mother of Ramarley Graham, Kirsten John Foy of the National Action Network Brooklyn Chapter, and Mark Winston-Griffith of the Brooklyn Movement Center.
Malcolm took umbrage at Mayor Bill de Blasio, who he said has waited over six months for a decision by Preet Bharara’s office to decide if any of the officers should face additional charges – even though this was refuted by Bharara’s office.
“The fact that Mayor de Blasio’s NYPD gives increased overtime and pay raises to officers who kill our children is disgusting, a betrayal to my family (and others), and all New York City taxpayers. The excuses continue, and New Yorkers should be asking serious questions about why their mayor is perpetuating the problem of police violence in our city, setting a horrible national example that is shameful,” said Malcolm.
De Blasio spokesperson Austin Finan responded that the mayor supports incoming Commissioner O’Neill’s ordered review of Pantaleo’s overtime. “These overtime payments raise real concerns, and the mayor agrees this practice deserves a close examination,” said Finan.
But Jeffries said that Daniel Pantaleo is Exhibit A for the police use of excessive force and that the time for talk, protocol review and obstruction from the police department is over.
“We demand action, and the administration can begin by removing officers like Daniel Pantaleo and Richard Haste from the force.” says Jeffries.
To which Lynch called Jeffries Un-American.
“In America, individuals, including police officers, are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Anyone who calls for the firing of a police officer who has not been charged and found guilty of wrong doing is not seeking justice, he is seeking revenge. That is not the American way,” said Lynch.
