By depicting real-life witnesses and actual evidence in a courtroom setting, “American Trial: The Eric Garner Story” will tell the story of the trial that may have occurred had NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo been indicted for the killing of Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York. Using the trial as a conduit, this documentary will examine accountability, race, and police/civilian relations in New York City and beyond.
In July of 2014, Eric Garner was caught on camera being approached by police officers who confronted him about selling loose cigarettes on the streets. Within minutes he was wrestled to the ground and put in a chokehold by officer Daniel Pantaleo, where his last words were “I can’t breathe.” Medical examiners ruled his death as a homicide but the jury decided not to indict the police officer. U.S. Attorney General William P. Barr later ordered the case to be dropped leaving many outraged at this horrible injustice. This fictional documentary presents a version of the trial that could have happened if given the chance.
Like many documentaries on murder cases, I anticipated the opening scene to be shocking so I hit the pause button to prepare myself for the horrific video footage of the altercation leading up to Eric’s death. Revisiting this incident was painful for me and I’m sure it will be for many of you as well, as we are constantly faced with senseless murders committed against blacks by white police officers in this country. As these officers are rarely held accountable for their vicious acts, it is yet another disheartening reminder of how the justice system was never built on equality. Because jury transcripts were never released, we have no inclination what could have happened in that courtroom, nor could we have anticipated what would motivate that jury to come to their conclusion.
This film was put together beautifully and definitely captured the intense emotional depth of a real trial. However, I would have loved to see a glimpse of what might have occurred in the room as the jury deliberated.
- *Editor’s Note: At the NYFF premiere it was revealed that the Department of Justice attempted to pressure the Garner family to not participate in/support the film in a clear effort to shut down production – they did not succeed.
Available on VOD May 18th
