US President Barack Obama speaks during the last session of The White House Tribal Nations Conference on December 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. President Obama spoke about the recent decision of a Staten Island grand jury not to indict NYPD police officer Daniel Pantaleo in the chokehold death of Eric Garner.Getty Images
Following the non-indictment of New York police officer Daniel Pantaleo, who allegedly choked Eric Garner to death, US President Barack Obama said on Wednesday (4 December) that "this is an American problem" and it is his "job as president to help solve it".
Speaking at the 2014 White House Tribal Nations Conference, Obama admitted that the case "speaks to the larger issues," and further highlights the feeling within "many minority communities that law enforcement is not working with them and dealing with them in a fair way," reported MSNBC.
“We are all equal under the law. Regardless of race, region, this is an American problem. It's not just a black problem, or a brown problem ... when anybody in this country isn't being treated equal under the law that's a problem and it's my job as president tohelp solve it.”
- US President Barack Obama
"We are not going to let up until we see a strengthening of the trust and a strengthening of the accountability between our communities and law enforcement. We are all equal under the law.
"Regardless of race, region, this is an American problem. It's not just a black problem, or a brown problem ... when anybody in this country isn't being treated equal under the law that's a problem and it's my job as president to help solve it."
Meanwhile, Obama acknowledged the police officers who risk their lives everyday to protect their communities.
"Every man and women in uniform is putting their lives at risk to protect us," said Obama.
Garner, 43, died after an alleged chokehold by Pantaleo on 17 July, after he was accused of selling illegal cigarettes.
Garner's death was caught on tape where he can be heard gasping "I can't breathe!" several times before he suffocates to death.
Despite medical examiner spokeswoman Julie Bolcer confirming that Garner's death was due to "the compression of his chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police," a grand jury voted a "no-bill" and cleared Pantaleo on all charges relating to the death.
Meanwhile, Ramsey Orta, the man who filmed the incident, was charged with third-degree criminal weapon possession and criminal firearm possession, which Orta's wife, Chrissie said was "total BS".
"It's obvious what they're doing: they're trying to shut him up. They're trying to keep him away. They're trying to find anything to crucify him. They're bringing up his past, when they should be bringing up the officer's past, who committed this murder," said Chrissie.
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