Eric Garner Would Be Alive If He Was Not Obese, Says Rep. Peter King, Thanks Grand Jury For Decision

Rep. Peter King said Wednesday that Eric Garner would not have died from a police chokehold if he had not been obese. (He was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 340 pounds.) King’s comments come after a Staten Island grand jury decided not to indict NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo for the chokehold death of Garner, a move that has triggered protests across New York City.


The U.S. representative for New York's second congressional district reportedly said during an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that Garner’s health was to be blamed for his death. King also dismissed video evidence that showed Garner repeatedly saying he could not breathe as officers tackled him to the ground and choked him, stating that "police had no reason to know that he was in serious condition." The chokehold has been blamed for suffocating Garner, causing his death.

"If he had not had asthma, and a heart condition and was so obese, almost definitely he would not have died from this," King reportedly said.

"The fact is if you can't breathe, you can't talk," King reportedly added. "If you've ever seen anyone resisting arrest, I've seen it, and it's been white guys, and they're always saying, 'You're breaking my arm, you're choking me, you're doing this,' police hear this all the time."

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