But the grand jury, after hearing from officer Daniel Pantaleo, decided he did not commit a crime.
Attorney General Eric Holder has now launched a federal civil rights investigation into Garner's death.
And the Rev. Al Sharpton is planning a national march in Washington, D.C. next Saturday.
Clearly there is a growing concern all around the country about a disparity in policing when it comes to whites and blacks, and concerns about the justice system..is it fair for all?
Joining us this week is former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, now a professor at Columbia University.
Also with us, the Reverend Herbert Daughtry, a civil rights activist who is a pastor of the House of the Lord Church in Brooklyn.
And former NYPD detective Thomas Vernie, who retired after 22 years with the NYPD. He spent much of his time with the NYPD's Community Affairs Bureau.
Former New York State Chief Judge Sol Wachtler famously remarked that a prosecutor could persuade a grand jury to "indict a ham sandwich."
In the Ferguson death of Michael Brown and the Eric Garner case, grand juries chose not to indict. In both cases, the officers testified and were able to convince jurors that what they did was not criminal.
So how does the grand jury work and is this the right way for prosecutors to handle these controversial cases?
We're joined by attorney Paul Martin, who represented one of the officers in the Sean Bell shooting case.
And attorney David Schwartz, a former criminal prosecutor in the Brooklyn District Attorney's office.