Mother of 29-year-old Anthony Baez, who died in police custody, says officer in Eric Garner arrest should go to jail

A Bronx mother says hearing about a police-involved death in the news has brought back bad memories of her own son's death. Last week, Staten Island father Eric Garner died after police apparently

News 12 Staff

Jul 21, 2014, 5:35 AM

Updated 3,730 days ago

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A Bronx mother says hearing about a police-involved death in the news has brought back bad memories of her own son's death.
Last week, Staten Island father Eric Garner died after police apparently put him in a chokehold while attempting to arrest him for selling untaxed cigarettes. The officer in question, Daniel Pantaleo, has been stripped of his badge and gun and is under investigation.
On Dec. 22, 1994, 29-year-old Anthony Baez died in a similar way. Baez was playing football with his brothers in front of their mother's house when the football hit a passing police car
When police grabbed his brother, Baez tried to intervene and an officer grabbed him in a chokehold. Baez died at the scene. Francis Livoti, the offending officer, served seven years for violating Baez' civil rights.
Anthony Baez' mother, Iris, says she doesn't feel justice was served in her son's case, and hopes that Garner's case will be different.
"This man deserves to go to jail, maybe for life because I wouldn't want him coming out like Livoti came out after seven years," she said of the officer who arrested Garner.