Celebrities React to the Eric Garner Decision

Since Darren Wilson walked free after shooting unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, there has been a public outcry to have police officers wear body cameras to lower the chances of "conflicting testimony." However, it appears in the case of Eric Garner, video won't do much to actually change the way police officers act in the line of duty. This past summer, Garner, another unarmed black man died due to an illegal chokehold by a policeman Daniel Pantaleo and the entire incident was caught on camera. Yet, when the case was brought to the grand jury in New York, Pantaleo was not indicted. In the video, Garner, who suffered from asthma, repeatedly cries to the officers, "I can't breathe!" and the officers continue to press down on his airways. When paramedics finally arrived on the scene, Garner was not given immediate medical attention. The evidence in the case is overwhelming, and yet, somehow, no justice is being served.

When the announcement was made that Pantaleo would not go to trial, protests sparked all across the nation. In New York City, thousands flooded Times Square, lied down on the streets and in busy commuter hubs to bring attention to the issue. On our airwaves, Jon Stewart spoke to the nation on The Daily Show and expressed the grief, shock, and anger so many feel about the case. Spike Lee made a video comparing the murder of the character Radio Raheem (who was inspired by real-life victim Michael Stewart) by officers in his proclaimed film Do the Right Thing (which was made 25 yeard ago) to what happened to Eric Garner and the similarities are horrifying. More members of the media, film, and television have spoken out about their feelings on the case. Take a look: