NYPD Cop: I Thought Eric Garner Was Faking 'I Can't Breathe' | News 4 Now

One of the officers who responded to the Eric Garner arrest scene in July 2014 says he thought the 43-year-old father, seen on widely circulated video gasping "I can't breathe," was faking it.

Officer William Meems made the comments Tuesday under cross examination at the NYPD trial of fellow officer Daniel Pantaleo, who is accused of administering a chokehold that led to Garner's death. A prosecutor for the Civilian Complaint Review Board, which is prosecuting the case, asked, "You believe he was feigning unconsciousness?"

"I believed that was a possibility, yes," Meems answered. He also described Garner as "not very compliant" with the officers trying to handcuff him.

Pantaleo's partner, Justin D'amico, took the stand next, testifying that he and Pantaleo waited about nine minutes before trying to arrest Garner because he was "irate." He also testified that Garner twice tried to smack his hand away.

Anchor Stefan Holt also reports on a bribery scheme in Brooklyn, an attack on a firefighter and an accident in Washington Square Park.

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