Family 'Failed' By NYPD Chokehold Ruling

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The mother of Eric Garner who died after he was put in a chokehold by an NYPD officer has said the US justice system has failed her.

It comes as a grand jury decided not to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo, who was captured on video using the banned hold on Mr Garner on 17 July as he was arrested in Staten Island on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes.

Gwen Carr, Mr Garner's mother, said she was "truly disappointed" by the decision.

"I don't know what video they were looking at. Evidently it wasn't the same one that the rest of the world was looking at.

"How can we put our trust in the justice system when they fail us like this?

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Gallery: Protests After Chokehold Jury Decision

A man shouts as he is arrested in St Louis during a protest against the Eric Garner grand jury decision

Benjamin Carr, centre, stepfather of Eric Garner, prays with people at the makeshift memorial where he died in Staten Island

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Protesters stage a "die in" during rush hour in Grand Central Station, New York

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A demonstration against the grand jury decision gathers numbers in Columbus Circle

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Protesters block traffic in New York after the verdict

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"This thing is just breaking my heart, just pulling me apart."

Esaw Garner, the 43-year-old's widow, said she did not accept an apology from Office Pantaleo.

She said: "He's still working, he's still getting a paycheck, he's still feeding his kids and my husband is six feet under and I'm looking for a way to feed my kids now.

"Who's going to play Santa Claus for my grandkids this year? Who's going to do that now?"

Rights campaigner Reverend Al Sharpton called on the federal government to intervene in police cases.

He said: "We are not going away. It will not get too cold, it will not snow too high.

"This is going to be a winter that we're going to freeze out police brutality in this country."

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Gallery: Thousands Protests New York Chokehold Death

Thousands of demonstrators have rallied in New York to protest against the death of an unarmed black man placed in a chokehold by a white police officer.

Eric Garner died last month when he was stopped on suspicion of selling bootleg cigarettes, in what a medical examiner has ruled was a homicide.

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Officer Pantaleo, 29, said in a statement it was "never my intention to harm anyone and I feel very bad about the death of Mr Garner".

He added: "My family and I include him and his family in our prayers and I hope that they will accept my personal condolences for their loss."

The grand jury decision sparked protests in New York, as demonstrators blocked traffic and staged a "die-in" protest during rush hour in Grand Central Station.

US Attorney General Eric Holder announced on Wednesday that the US Justice Department will conduct a federal investigation into Mr Garner's death.

President Barack Obama said the grand jury decision emphasised the need to strengthen trust and accountability between the community and law enforcement.

The grand jury decision follows a similar ruling in Missouri not to indict a white police officer for shooting dead unarmed black teenager Michael Brown Jr.

That decision sparked violent protests in Ferguson and demonstrations across the US.

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