Eric Garner's Family Introduces New Lawyer In Suit Against NYC, NYPD

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The family of Eric Garner met with Rev. Al Sharpton on Saturday to introduce their new lawyer and discuss new strategies in moving forward with their case against New York City.

In the wake of rape allegations against famed lawyer Sanford Rubenstein, Garner's family decided to switch lawyers and hire civil rights attorney Jonathan Moore, CBS 2 reported.

Moore represented three of the five men wrongly convicted in the Central Park jogger case.

Moore said the NYPD isn't doing enough to avoid the use of chokeholds, WCBS 880 reported.

"We have to make sure that this never happens again. In the last five years there's been 1,128 complaints of chokeholds filed with the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board ," he said. "...Out of all those 1,128 complaints only one was there any discipline and it was only minor discipline."

The Garner family is suing the city and the NYPD for $75 million.

Garner's widow, Esaw Garner, said the lawsuit is not about money, but about justice.

"It was a hard decision, but it had to be made for the betterment of the case," she said. "..We're not out for money, we're out to get justice."

Garner died this past July after being put in a chokehold by officers, who were arresting him allegedly for selling loose cigarettes in Tompkinsville, Staten Island.

In cellphone video of the incident, an officer is seen placing his arm around Garner's neck and then taking him to the ground after Garner refuses to be handcuffed.

Garner is heard saying repeatedly, "I can't breathe!" He died a short time later.

The New York City medical examiner's office ruled Garner's death a homicide, caused by the officer's chokehold as well as chest and neck compressions and prone positioning "during physical restraint by police."

Late last month a grand jury began deciding whether there should be criminal charges in the case.

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