NYPD: Internal charges for sergeant in Garner chokehold death
NEW YORK -- The New York Police Department says a sergeant has been stripped of her gun and badge and charged internally in the July 2014 chokehold death of Eric Garner.
Sgt. Kizzy Adonis was one of the supervising officers at the scene of Garner's death on Staten Island during an arrest on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes.
Officials said Friday Adonis was charged with failure to supervise.
Sgt. Ed Mullins is the head of her union and calls the charge ridiculous and political.
Adonis was recently promoted to sergeant while she was on probation, and NYPD policy dictates that officials had to act on the charges within 18 months.
Last year, a grand jury declined to indict Daniel Pantaleo, the white officer who applied the chokehold on Garner, who is black.
He remains on modified duty and has yet to face departmental charges. A federal probe is continuing.
The grand jury decision sparked protests and the chant "I can't breathe," some of Garner's last words, which were captured in a video of part of the incident.