The Daily Show - We Can’t Breathe

Summary

In this 'The Daily Show' segment, Jon Stewart addresses the controversial case of Eric Garner, criticizing the lack of indictment for the police officers involved in his death. Stewart highlights the flawed system, using humor to underscore the inconsistencies in the public's understanding of the incident and the legal outcomes. He also discusses the racial and social implications, questioning the fairness of the criminal justice system and the role of the grand jury.

Takeaways

• 📹 The script begins with Jon Stewart apologizing for a previous episode where he was overwrought about the Eric Garner case and the lack of indictment for those involved.
• 🎥 Jon highlights the irony that the person who filmed Garner's death was indicted for gun charges, not for the death itself, emphasizing the value of capturing crime on video.
• 🤔 Stewart questions the public's understanding of the Garner case, pointing out the clear evidence of a chokehold and the medical examiner's report that contradicts some people's attempts to shift blame.
• 🚔 Jon mocks the argument that Garner's size and health conditions were the cause of his death, rather than the actions of the police officers involved.
• 👮 Stewart challenges the notion that Garner's resistance to arrest justifies the police's actions, using examples to show that not all resistance leads to deadly outcomes.
• 🤷‍♂️ Jon criticizes the lack of acknowledgment of a larger systemic issue, suggesting that the police's actions may be a by-product of a system applied with prejudice.
• 👨‍⚖️ Jon introduces Senator Rand Paul, who discusses the unintended consequences of high cigarette taxes and police enforcement, indirectly linking it to the Garner case.
• 🚬 Stewart sarcastically addresses the focus on cigarette taxes as a distraction from the core issue of police conduct and the criminal justice system.
• 🏛 Jon points out the discrepancy in the grand jury's high indictment rate in federal cases versus the recent failure to indict police officers in cases of unarmed citizens' deaths.
• 📖 Stewart suggests that the grand jury system may be influenced by the prosecutors' relationship with the police, hinting at a potential conflict of interest.
• 🎉 The script ends with a humorous note, as Jon jokes about the awkwardness of the relationship between prosecutors and police in the context of a Secret Santa exchange.

Q & A

What was Jon Stewart's initial reaction to the Eric Garner case?

Jon Stewart began the show overwrought and apologized for being wrong about the indictment, clarifying that the person who filmed the incident was indicted on gun charges, not for the death of Eric Garner.

What was the main point of Jon Stewart's discussion about the Eric Garner incident?

Jon Stewart argued that despite the clarity of the video evidence, people continued to blame Garner's death on anything but the injustices of a flawed system.

How did Jon Stewart describe the police's response to Eric Garner's size?

Stewart sarcastically referred to Garner as 'Gigantor' and questioned the relevance of his size, pointing out that there were five other officers present and suggesting racial progress in America might be flawed.

What was Jon Stewart's stance on the medical examiner's report regarding Eric Garner's cause of death?

Stewart disagreed with those who downplayed the police's role in Garner's death, citing the medical examiner's report that stated 'compression of the neck' and 'compression of the chest' as the causes, which he equated to death by choking.

What did Jon Stewart say about the NYPD Patrol Guide's definition of a chokehold?

Stewart mentioned that the NYPD Patrol Guide defines a chokehold as any pressure to the throat or windpipe that may prevent breathing or intake of air, implying that the police's actions fit this definition.

What was Jon Stewart's response to the argument that Eric Garner's health conditions contributed to his death?

Stewart dismissed this argument, emphasizing that the medical examiner's report attributed Garner's death to physical restraint by the police, not his health conditions.

What example did Jon Stewart use to illustrate that resisting arrest does not always lead to death?

Stewart showed a video clip of a woman being arrested for being a nuisance on the beach, suggesting that not everyone who resists arrest faces a deadly outcome.

What did Jon Stewart suggest about the role of the prosecutor in grand jury decisions?

Stewart suggested that grand juries almost always do what the prosecutor wants, implying that the lack of indictment in the Garner case might be due to the prosecutor's reluctance.

How did Jon Stewart react to the argument that the Eric Garner case was about individual circumstances rather than systemic issues?

Stewart disagreed, arguing that the case is symptomatic of a larger issue within the system, which applies laws unequally and with prejudice.

What did Senator Rand Paul suggest as a 'bigger issue' related to the Eric Garner case?

Senator Rand Paul suggested that the high tax on cigarettes, which he claimed drove the sale of cigarettes underground, was a contributing factor, although Jon Stewart found this argument irrelevant to the main issue.

What was Jon Stewart's view on the grand jury's decision not to indict in the Eric Garner case?

Stewart criticized the grand jury's decision, noting the high indictment rate in federal cases and questioning the system that produced such a result.