Senator James Sanders Jr.'s Statement on 3rd Anniversary of Eric Garner's Death

State Senator James Sanders Jr. said: “Today marks the three-year anniversary of the death of Eric Garner, the Staten Island man allegedly selling loose cigarettes on a street corner who died as the result of allegedly being put in an illegal choke hold by police. The incident was caught on film and many of us were angered as we paused to reflect on the deep rift in police-community relations and the use of excessive force that ended in Garner’s death. His last words – “I can’t breathe,” became a rallying cry for protesters calling for an end to the police killings of black men. Today, through the Black Lives Matter movement and similar anti-violence advocacy organizations we have definitely made our voices heard, but there is still work to be done.”