The Restraint of Eric Garner

Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose wore an “I Can’t Breathe” T-Shirt before his team’s Nov. 6 game against the Golden State Warriors in support of Eric Garner. (Photo/Patch File)

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During my tenure as the Medical Director of Highland Park Hospital’s inpatient psychiatric unit we had unfortunate occasions when our staff needed to restrain an agitated, aggressive and threatening patient. We had in place an appropriate and safe protocol for doing so, and this was practiced by our staff on a regular basis.

Over ten years there wasn’t one incident of serious harm to a patient. I’ve watched the video of the take-down of Mr. Garner (an individual who may have been resisting arrest but didn’t appear to be aggressive, agitated or threatening), and there isn’t any way to view the actions of the officers as having followed any known safe protocol. In fact, had any of our hospital staff taken a patient down in the manner demonstrated by the officers (arm around throat and pressure on the chest) I’m certain they would’ve been fired.

I’m not suggesting that the police had an intent to harm Mr. Garner (I don’t think anyway viewing the video can know that with certainty). However, I do believe the officers were either poorly trained or irresponsible in their actions, allowing emotion, possible bias and surging endorphins to prevent a reasonable process of restraint. An individual was killed, at the very least, as a result of their neglect in following a safe procedure, and I believe that culpability should be assigned. I cannot see any reasonable explanation for the District Attorney not having asked the Grand Jury to consider the charge of “reckless endangerment.”

Brad Greenspan MD