Garner, Pantaleo, NYPD All Used Poor Judgment

During his hour of cross-examination May 15 of Floriana Persechino, the city Medical Examiner who concluded that Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo used a chokehold that was a contributing factor in Eric Garner’s death, the cop’s attorney, Stuart London, sought to establish two points: that Mr. Garner was in such poor health that any stressful confrontation could have been fatal, and that if he hadn’t resisted arrest, he might still be alive.

He was still pressing the latter issue on his final question of re-cross, asking Dr. Persechino, “If he had just accepted a summons for [selling] untaxed cigarettes, none of this would have—”