New York, NY – Communities United for Police Reform (CPR), a leading voice for racial justice and police accountability in New York City, released the following statement today slamming Mayor de Blasio for his hypocrisy in relation to new text messages from an NYPD officer related to the killing of Eric Garner that surfaced this week.

New York, NY – Police accountability organizers present at NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo’s trial today said testimony from a key NYPD witness confirmed that a chokehold unequivocally prohibited by the NYPD for over 20 years was used to kill Eric Garner.

“Pantaleo’s entire legal defense was discredited today by NYPD Inspector Dee. Pantaleo’s lawyers have been falsely claiming that Pantaleo didn't use a chokehold when he killed Eric Garner. But as the NYPD Inspector noted today in trial, not only were chokeholds banned without exception at the time Eric was choked and killed, so-called "seatbelt maneuvers" were not even taught when Pantaleo was in the police academy, or when he went through plainclothes officer training,” said Loyda Colon, Co-Director of the Justice Committee and a spokesperson for Communities United for Police Reform (CPR).