The widow of police chokehold victim Eric Garner railed at a grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer in the case, insisting a graphic cellphone video showed the arresting officer was "dead wrong."
"Oh my God, are you serious?" the widow, identified as Esaw Garner,
told the New York Daily News shortly after the ruling was announced Wednesday.
"I’m very disappointed. You can see in the video that he [the officer] was dead wrong," she told the newspaper, referring to cellphone video showing Officer Daniel Pantaleo placing Garner in a chokehold — a move banned by the NYPD — and wrestling him to the ground.
"The grand jury kept interviewing witnesses but you didn't need witnesses," she added.
"You can be a witness for yourself. Oh my God, this s--- is crazy. Well, I guess I have to go with the next step."
The News reports the widow's reference to a next step indicated a Department of Justice investigation.
Garner’s 19-year-old son, Eric Snipes, told the News the grand jury's refusal was "insane."
"Oh man, this is not fair," he told the newspaper. "It's not fair how he could get away with murder. I feel disgusted. I'm never going to see my pops again."
The widow and son's comments came as they headed to the Manhattan offices of the National Action Network, headed by the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Meanwhile, Pantaleo, in a statement released by the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, which represents New York City police officers, said it was "never my intention to harm anyone," the News reports.
"I feel very bad about the death of Mr. Garner," he said. "My family and I include him and his family in our prayers and I hope that they will accept my personal condolences for their loss."
Nevertheless, PBA chief Patrick Lynch said he was "pleased with the grand jury's decision."
"It is clear that the officer's intention was to do nothing more than take Mr. Garner into custody as instructed and that he used the take down technique that he learned in the academy when Mr. Garner refused," he said in a statement, the News reports.