Bill O’Reilly On Eric Garner: ‘He Did Not Deserve’ To Die [VIDEO]

Fox News host Bill O’Reilly said Wednesday that New York man Eric Garner “did not deserve” to die and that the officer should have restrained himself instead of using a chokehold to subdue Garner.

Garner, who, as O’Reilly notes was obese and had asthma, died soon after Officer Daniel Panteleo tried to restrain him with a chokehold, which ultimately led to his death. Officials announced Wednesday that a grand jury decided not to indict the officer.

Bill O’Reilly: “Another grand jury declines to prosecute a police officer who killed an African-American. That is the subject of this evening’s Talking Points Memo. … On July 17, New York City police confronted 43-year-old Eric Garner in Staten Island. Garner, a low-level street dealer of illegal cigarettes, was not happy to see the police.”

“Mr. Garner had a record, mostly nonviolent offenses, was out on bail at the time of the confrontation. New York City police policy is that chokeholds are not allowed, and Mayor Bill de Blasio is clearly on the side of the Garner family. We will get to that situation, which is volatile, in the next segment.”

“Now, the officer who used the hold, Daniel Pantaleo, was called before a grand jury and testified for two hours. He is now are free and clear of any local and state charges, but the feds say they will investigate the case. Talking Points does not know what happened, and until we read the grand jury transcripts, which are sealed right now, nobody can know. But that does not stop some agitators from stirring up controversy. However, however, I will say that upon seeing the video that you just saw and hearing Mr. Garner say he could not breathe, I was extremely troubled. I would have loosened my grip.”

“I desperately wish the officer would have done that. Eric Garner was obese. He had asthma. He was in no condition to absorb what befell him. Yes, he should not have resisted, but all Americans, every one of us, should pity Mr. Garner and his family. He did not deserve what happened to him. And I think Officer Pantaleo and every other American police officer — every one — would agree with me.”