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Bratton: NYPD investigation into Eric Garner killing could take 4 months

He said a chokehold isn't illegal, it's just against their policy.

By Thor Benson
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton speaks at the podium when he and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio hold a press conference to discuss the retraining of Police at Police Academy in New York City on December 4, 2014. Protesters reacted yesterday following a decision by a grand jury not to indict an NYPD officer involved in the apparent chokehold death of Eric Garner. Garner, a 43 year old father of six, died in July after police officers attempted to arrest him for allegedly selling loose, untaxed cigarettes in the Tompkinsville section of Staten Island. UPI/John Angelillo
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton speaks at the podium when he and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio hold a press conference to discuss the retraining of Police at Police Academy in New York City on December 4, 2014. Protesters reacted yesterday following a decision by a grand jury not to indict an NYPD officer involved in the apparent chokehold death of Eric Garner. Garner, a 43 year old father of six, died in July after police officers attempted to arrest him for allegedly selling loose, untaxed cigarettes in the Tompkinsville section of Staten Island. UPI/John Angelillo | License Photo

NEW YORK, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton went on CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday to talk about the Eric Garner killing amid days of intense unrest around the nation.

He said an internal investigation into the case has begun, and he hopes to have the investigation finished within four months.

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"Now that the criminal investigation is concluded, the administrative investigation which focuses on violation of policies, procedures, rules and regulations can now move forward unimpeded," Bratton said.

"Part of the [investigation] will be to determine what everybody has seen on the video," Bratton said. They hope to determine if it was indeed a chokehold that the officer used. "[The] chokehold is not illegal. It's not against [New York] law. It's against department policy and protocol."

Bratton can't express personal feelings on the matter while it's being investigated, but he said he was disturbed by the video. "I don't think that anybody that watches that video is not disturbed by what they saw."

The video was taken with a cell phone and depicts Officer Daniel Pantaleo approaching 43-year-old Eric Garner and bringing him to the ground, which resulted in him choking to death. He was allegedly illegally selling loose cigarettes, according to the officer.

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The New York City Medical Examiner's office ruled Garner's death a homicide. A grand jury decided not to indict the officer on Dec. 3, and protests have erupted across the U.S. and beyond.

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