Cuomo Criticizes De Blasio's Handling Of Eric Garner Case

Governor Andrew Cuomo is criticizing Mayor Bill de Blasio’s handling of the Eric Garner case.

Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn announced earlier this week that they would not bring civil rights charges against Officer Daniel Pantaleo.

“Everyone has a right to due process and every single one of us would want that right to due process. But the mistake here was believing that the Justice Department was going to do its job, and they didn’t – and that's unfathomable to me,” Mayor de Blasio said.

Cuomo said if you’re blaming the Justice Department, you’re missing the point. He faulted the mayor for not acting on his own.

“This is an issue that should have been handled by the New York authorities much earlier on,” Governor Cuomo said.

Neither Cuomo nor de Blasio would say if they believed that Pantaleo should be fired. That’s a decision that Police Commissioner James O’Neill is expected to make by the end of August.

Supporters of Garner protested in Foley Square on Wednesday and have another rally planned for Gracie Mansion on Thursday. They are calling on de Blasio and O’Neill to fire Pantaleo.

Photo Credit: Getty Images


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