Obama ‘passed buck’
Garner gal hails Trump on death probe
The daughter of police chokehold victim Eric Garner divulged details from her family’s meeting with the Department of Justice — and slammed former President Barack Obama for “passing the buck” in the investigation into her dad’s death.
In a series of tweets Thursday morning, Erica Snipes, 27, said prosecutors told her more progress has been made in the long-running case under President Trump’s administration than Obama’s.
“DOJ ASSURED us that MOST OF THE PROGRESS MADE IN THE GARNER CASE HAS BEEN WITH #TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ... 6 months vs 2.5 years ... SMDH [shaking my damn head],” she wrote following Wednesday’s meeting with two prosecutors at a Downtown Brooklyn hotel.
“They ASSURED us that a decision would be made within a few months, that they would not drag it out.”
Last year, DOJ officials from Washington took over the probe from feds in Brooklyn who had been handling the civil-rights probe into NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo’s chokehold that took down Garner, who was allegedly resisting arrest on suspicion of selling bootleg cigarettes on Staten Island.
Grand jurors in Brooklyn federal court have been hearing evidence in the case for well over a year.
In the Wednesday meeting with Snipes, Garner’s family and the Rev. Al Sharpton, DOJ officials said they were still working hard on the case — but that a decision on possible charges against Pantaleo had yet to be reached.
“It was shocking when they told me #trump did more to investigate my dads case than #Obama did,” Snipes wrote. “I looked #obama in the eye, and he gave me some song and dance about not wanting to look like he was putting his thumb on the scale.”
Snipes said she has video of a DOJ prosecutor saying “#trump is getting it done.”
“Not only has it not slowed down [the case] THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION HAS TAKEN PLACE SINCE THIS TEAM WAS PUT IN PLACE,” she said the prosecutor told her. “Thats the quote. I dont understand it. I knew Obama didnt want to be president of Black America but damn dog ... You passed the buck.”
Snipes continued, “I dont understand how #obama and [Obama attorney general Loretta] #lynch could hold my dads case for 2.5 years and not make it a priority” . . .
“Imma go on record here. If the #trump team brings this case in for justice. I’m not resisting s--t, f--k what u heard. I’ll be with him.”
After Pantaleo wrestled the obese Garner, 43, to the ground in July 2014, officers held him down as he said repeatedly, “I can’t breathe!”
His death was ruled a homicide by the city Medical Examiner’s Office, but a Staten Island grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo.
Obama] gave me some song and dance about not wanting to look like he was putting his thumb on the scale. Erica Snipes (above), on the federal probe into the death of dad Eric Garner (left)