Garner Died Because of Poor Health and Obesity: US Congressman

"If he had not had asthma, and a heart condition and was so obese, almost definitely he would not have died from this… The police had no reason to know that he was in serious condition. I know people are saying he said 11 times or seven times, 'I can't breathe,' but the fact is if you can't breathe, you can't talk," Rep. Peter King said in an interview with the CNN.

The congressman vigorously denied that the police officers could have "racial motives," pointing to the fact that there was no indication of any "racial remarks" and that "the senior officer on the spot, who was there at the location, was an African-American female sergeant".  Peter King insisted that the police was acting in accordance with the law and at the request from the local minority community.

Stressing that chokehold used by the police was not "illegal," Peter King questioned if Eric Garner "was actually put in a chokehold." There was no intention to choke the African-American, the congressman emphasized, the police was just "trying to bring him down," while Garner was evidently "resisting" the arrest. "They had no choice," the Rep. Peter King noted, stressing that the police officers did not "punch" or "kick" the dying man.  The congressman underscored that he had "no doubt" that a "350 pound white guy would have been treated the same."

Arguing that the case was not actually a violation of human rights of the victim, Peter King claimed that the African-American community should be thankful to the New York Police Department: "There are thousands of young African Americans alive today because white and black police officers put their lives on the line to protect them."

However, it seems that American social media users do not consider the congressman's words convincing enough.