Rev. Sharpton to lead march across Verrazano to protest Eric Garner death

STATEN ISLAND (WABC) -- The Reverend Al Sharpton formally announced plans Wednesday for a march across the Verrazano Bridge on Aug. 23rd to protest the death of a man who died in police custody.

The Medical Examiner ruled Eric Garner's death a homicide, caused by a chokehold.

Meanwhile, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is defending the medical examiner's ruling.

Garner, a 43-year-old asthmatic man, died last month on Staten Island. Video showed NYPD officer arrested Garner with one member of the NYPD using an apparent chokehold.

VIEW PHOTOS THROUGHOUT THE CASE:

Sharpton also blasted union leaders who had defended the use of a chokehold in the Garner case.

"The coroner says he died in a chokehold, why are we debating something that's been established?", Sharpton said.

Sharpton urged police to obey the law and wondered how they can defend what so many have called a chokehold.

"They're defending something that's illegal. Can you imagine me holding a press conference to defend an illegal act?", he said.

Police accuse Sharpton, the mayor and police commissioner of not adequately defending them, of creating a climate where police aren't trusted.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, PBA President Patrick Lynch denied that Officer Daniel Pantaleo used a chokehold while attempting to arrest Garner.

"Sometimes the use of force is necessary, but it's never pretty to watch," said Lynch.

The leaders of the city's largest police unions hit back hard Tuesday, insisting that the death of Eric Garner was completely misunderstood.

"It is not a chokehold, it was bringing a person to the ground the way we're trained to do to place him under arrest," Lynch said.

The PBA is clearly bracing for a grand jury. Officials defended the tactics used to subdue Garner and blasted the Medical Examiner's homicide finding as "politically motivated."

"I've never seen a document that was more political than that document released by the ME's Office," Lynch said.

Lynch blamed Mayor de Blasio for cultivating a culture that second-guesses the NYPD. It's an allegation the mayor does not necessarily deny.

"We're going to keep people safe and we're going to have mutual respect between police and community and we're going to create fairness and consistency and that's what we're going to do," Mayor de Blasio said.

Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani routinely gave officers the benefit of the doubt. As did Mayor Bloomberg, although the shooting of Sean Bell was one notable exception.

"To me, unacceptable and inexplicable how you can have 50 odd shots fired, but that's up to the investigation to really find out what happened," Former Mayor Bloomberg had said.

Union officials urged officers to do their jobs "by the book." Which is shorthand for "don't take chances."

"We want you to do your job. We want you to follow the rule book the way it's written and if there's a delay in getting to the next place so be it. But at the end of the day, each and every member of the NYPD is to go home safe, that's the bottom line," said Ed Mullins, of the Sergeants Benevolent Association.

De Blasio said a short time later that he believed the Medical Examiner was "the gold standard."

Rev. Al Sharpton released the following statement :

"We have called for a fair and impartial federal investigation to provide the public and the Garner family with results. If other parties feel that the evidence will support their view of events then they should support us in a fair, independent investigation and allow the facts to come out."

The Staten Island district attorney is investigating the death.

Garner's last moments alive, chronicled by a cell phone camera, have reverberated around the world.

NOTE: We are unable to post cell phone video showing the incident between the NYPD and Eric Garner due to copyright restrictions.