The New York Daily News reports Andrew Kearse's widow, Angelique Negroni-Kearse, released the audio of his final words: "I can't breathe," which were spoken during a police encounter in 2016 just before his death.
It is impossible to forget the gut-wrenching last words of Eric Garner, who died on video in NYPD officer Daniel Pantaleo's chokehold in July 2014. After Garner's death, the words "I can't breathe" rang through our hearts and punched us in the chest.
The audio released by Negroni-Kearse reveals the very same phrase was uttered, during a tragic incident last May, when then-40-year-old Andrew Kearse died in police custody.
Kearse was pulled over by police for driving erratically. He tried to flee after the stop.
After being handcuffed, Kearse pleaded to the police, "I can't breathe," along with other cries asking for help, all of which were ignored. He died at a NYC hospital. An autopsy was performed; the results have yet to be made public.
Negroni-Kearse was allowed to watch dashcam video of her late husband's arrest, and recorded the audio released this week from that footage.
“I want justice for Andrew and I want that cop to go to jail,” said Negroni-Kearse, explaining her decision to release the audio. “You can hear my husband in distress. He was in the backseat, handcuffed, gasping for air.”
“Please, please, sir,” Kearse can be heard pleading at one point, as he attempts to catch his breath. “I can’t breathe! Please! Sir! Yo!”
“Is it hot?” one of the cops can be heard asking. “You probably shouldn’t run next time.”
Kearse can also be heard begging for one of the cops to "come here," saying, “Give me some air, I really can’t breathe, officer … officer."
Negroni-Kearse filed a claim back in November with the intention of file a $25 million lawsuit against the upstate New York police. Court documents state that Kearse died despite "repeated and numerous complaints of difficulty breathing and dizziness.”
Negroni-Kearse has made the audio of her husband's last moments available via SoundCloud.
