William – do you recall that scene from the movie Gandhi…the one where there is the commission investigating the massacre where British troops fired into an unarmed crowd? Where the Brit general indicated he would have used the armored car mounted machine gun, if it could have made it through the gate? One of the lines questions that the commission put to the general was more or less “what aid did you provide for the wounded?” And the General’s response was along the lines of “I was willing to help anyone who applied for aid” whereupon he was asked by one of the commissioners “Just how does a child shot with a .303 Lee Enfield apply for aid?”

Seems to me like “you’re choking me” is the guy asking for help as best he can under the circumstances.

Shame on you William. Absolute shame, Sir.

Yes….not literally being “choked” there Mr. Pedantic William.

William – I ask – will you submit to having your airflow and / or blood flow through the neck veins / arteries being medically restricted to a same amount? You could be “trachea tubed” and then have an orifice placed on the tube to restrict the flow. Then come on back and tell us all about the experience and how you weren’t being “choked”.

Mr. Garner may have helped himself had he been more specific in his complaint. “Hey guys I have asthma problems, take it easy.” comes to mind. But people check their text messages while driving. That is not a capital offense either, but it can lead to disaster. Sometimes God is stern.

Some have pointed out that air can be exhaled and inhaled from a choke hold. But the only way Mr. garner could say “I can’t breath” 11 times, he had to put more air into his lungs after the utterance or two.

“I can’t breathe” is not a binary choice. There is not a person here who has witnessed a heart attack, seen an accident, been on a ballfield where there is an injury, etc and have not heard “I can’t breathe.” It doesn’t mean the person is not able to speak or to take in some air – it is “shorthand” for “help” and a specific cause.

The medical examiner classified Garner’s death as a homicide. The other officers involved were granted immunity to testify.

I fail to see how a bunch of cops choking a man, sitting on his chest (starting a chain of medical events) and then denying the man care while handcuffed and in their custodial care doesn’t amount to something other than “go home, officer.”

BTW, if you are saying: “I can’t breathe”, then you are breathing.

William Nuesslein 12.04.14 at 7:56 pm:

I supplement Mr. John Rohan comment.

Mr. Garner said very clearly “I can’t breath” at least 11 times. To do so, air from his lungs had to pass over his vocal cords with sufficient volume to carry his words to others. Mr.Garner was breathing pretty well. Had he said more accurately “My asthma”, he might have gotten medical attention sooner.

Excuse my French, but these assertions are ridiculous excuses to blame any asthmatic person for failing to communicate his distress with perfect scientific accuracy.

Human beings in pain and distress often use succinct and technically inaccurate expressions to describe their pain and distress. Any normal human being knows what they mean.

I’m not sure what to think of anyone in a position to render aid, but who refuses because the injured person didn’t make a legally and scientifically vetted statement about the nature of their distress.

I think that any normal human being, hearing an asthmatic gasp “I can’t breathe”, would take that to mean that he needs immediate medical assistance or emergency first aid in order to breathe; not scolding for technical inaccuracy in stating his physical condition.

Someone saying “I can’t breathe”, which involves a pulmonic egressive airstream, that is, air flow from the lungs out through the mouth and/or nose, may well be unable to breathe, which involves airflow in the opposite direction. The continued ability to speak merely shows that the person has not yet completely exhausted the air in his lungs; he may well be unable to draw air into his lungs.

It is hard to tell form that video, but at the point at which Mr. Garner said “I can’t breathe”, he was on the ground with several police officers on him.. His breathing may well have been inhibited by the compression of his chest, which would be quite compatible with continued speech.

Mr. Garner said very clearly “I can’t breath” at least 11 times. To do so, air from his lungs had to pass over his vocal cords with sufficient volume to carry his words to others. Mr.Garner was breathing pretty well. Had he said more accurately “My asthma”, he might have gotten medical attention sooner. According to another commentator, the “Choke hold” was applied only when Mr. Garner was taken to the ground, about 10 seconds. Mr. Garner’s neck was not broken so it is difficult to blame his demise on the officer’s take down. Mr. Olson could have been dismayed by a supposedly scientific office making such a ridiculous and inflammatory finding. but he wasn’t. I’m disappointed.