New York ( CNN ) -- A grand jury is expected to announce this week whether a New York City police officer will face criminal charges in the alleged chokehold death of a New York man , according to people familiar with the investigation . Eric Garner , a father of six , died after NYPD officers confronted him on Staten Island for allegedly selling cigarettes illegally . A video of the July 17 encounter shows NYPD Officer Daniel Pantaleo grabbing the 350-pound man in a chokehold and pulling him onto a sidewalk . During his apprehension , Garner , 43 , is heard repeatedly telling the officers that he could not breathe . The New York City Police Department prohibits the chokehold tactic . The New York City Medical Examiner 's office later ruled Garner 's death a homicide . The cause of death was `` compression of neck ( chokehold ) , compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police . '' After the incident , Pantaleo was put on modified assignment and stripped of his badge and gun while the investigation was under way . More protests ? The case , which sparked anti-police demonstrations across the city , was brought to a grand jury in September , according to Richmond County District Attorney Daniel Donovan . On Monday , Staten Island officials met with New York City Police Commissioner William Bratton to discuss the impending decision and the borough 's preparedness for reaction to it . An attorney for Pantaleo told CNN his client testified for approximately two hours on November 21 in front of the grand jury . `` He was gratified to tell his story , he was relieved , '' Stuart London told CNN Saturday . London believes his client was the last to testify in front of the grand jury , which may signal that the panel may be nearing a decision . `` He was anxious and anxiety-filled prior to that , '' London said . `` He is cautiously optimistic , and knows that his fate is in their hands now . '' The medical examiner also listed acute and chronic bronchial asthma , obesity and hypertensive cardiovascular disease as contributing factors in Garner 's death . After chokehold death , NYPD to train officers on proper use of force . Decision comes after Ferguson protests . If the decision is announced soon , it would come just a little over a week after a grand jury in St. Louis County decided not to indict Ferguson , Missouri , police officer Darren Wilson in the August shooting death of unarmed African-American teen Michael Brown . Bratton announced in September that all NYPD officers will undergo a three-day retraining period on the proper use of force when engaging a suspect . `` It was evident to me and Mayor ( Bill ) de Blasio ... that there was a need for a fundamental shift in the culture of the department , from an overarching focus on police activity ... to an emphasis on collaborative problem-solving with the community , '' Bratton said before the City Council 's Committee for Public Safety . Previous legal issues . Two lawsuits have previously been filed against Pantaleo . The plaintiffs in both suits allege false arrest , unlawful imprisonment , civil rights violations and other charges . One suit from 2013 was dismissed in January 2014 , while the second , from February 2014 , remains open . Garner had a lengthy criminal history , including more than 30 arrests , and had been arrested for selling untaxed cigarettes in May , police said . CNN 's Leigh Remizowski contributed to this report .
Michael Brown died in a confrontation with New York City police 43 . The medical examiner ruled that the death of The New York City Medical Examiner 's , July 17 , was a homicide . The incident sparked protests in New York City .