This week’s firing of Daniel Pantaleo, the NYPD officer who used an illegal chokehold on Eric Garner, was no solace to the family of the unarmed Black man who was killed more than five years ago. That was especially true after the NYPD gave a slap on the wrist to Sgt. Kizzy Adonis, who was “accused of failing to properly supervise officers after she arrived at the chaotic scene” where Garner died in Staten Island in July 2014.
While social justice activists have long joined calls from Garner’s family to have Adonis fired, “Commissioner James O’Neill signed off on an agreement under which Adonis will lose 20 vacation days and avoid a public disciplinary trial,” the Associated Press reported Wednesday.
Garner’s mother reacted with outrage. But after having her repeated pleas greeted with silence, she said she was far from shocked.
“I’m not one bit surprised but I am outraged and disgusted by how the de Blasio administration and the NYPD continue to show that they don’t care about the murder of my son or Black lives,” Gwen Carr said in a prepared statement. “Sgt. Adonis has had charges pending for years. It’s disgraceful that they waited more than 5 years until after Pantaleo was fired to cut her a deal so that all she’s facing is losing some vacation days and they want us to accept these crumbs as if there is some justice.”
While the news about Adonis, who is Black, was announced, there was no announcement about the other NYPD officers who responded to the scene and, as Carr says, should also be fired.
“I will continue to fight until the Mayor and NYPD bring disciplinary charges and fire Justin D’Amico, Lt. Christopher Bannon, Craig Furlani and Mark Ramos – and until they release the names of other officers who engaged in misconduct like illegally leaking sealed records,” Carr’s statement continued. “I’m going to continue to fight because letting these officers stay on the force and continue to be paid by taxpayers is an injustice to Eric and it’s dangerous for all New Yorkers.”
The fate of these officers was up to O’Neill, but many also placed blame on New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who still has not taken a single instance of action against any of the police officers involved, preferring instead to deflect attention to the NYPD.
Below is what we know about the other members of the NYPD who Carr and other activists were demanding be fired, too.
