re: Officer in Eric Garner case: I never used a choke hold

From the link you provided.

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On Aug. 1, a New York City medical examiner determined that the cause of death in the Garner case was “homicide,” specifically the neck compressions from the Pantaleo’s chokehold and “the compression of [Garner’s] chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police,” according to spokeswoman, Julie Bolcer.

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Where does it say his windpipe was crushed in this extremely vague segment?

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is the medical examiner wrong?

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The medical examiner's report was bizarre, just fwiw. The pathological differences between asphyxia due to windpipe obstruction, and asphyxia d/t chest compression are totally different. Yet the medical examiner tossed them in together along with underlying asthma, coronary disease, etc, etc . . . . hell, the ME should have thrown in bad karma to make it a hat trick. Really weird report.

Neck, windpipe, throat. All the same.

Yeah I was being sarcastic.

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the medical examiner tossed them in together along with

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This doesn't mean anything. The ME is well aware of the pathological differences between asphyxia due to neck compression and chest compression. The main difference being one is done to the neck and one is done to the chest. Listing both isnt a conflation of the pathology. It's simply noting both's role in the death.

The throat is everything in front of the spine. No one is arguing he compressed the spine. I'm sure if a union rep thought he could get away with that argument, he would.

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Listing both isnt a conflation of the pathology. It's simply noting both's role in the death.

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ORLY? Do tell.
Please.
What are typical pathological differences between the two?

For that matter, absent tracheal injury and/or cervical ecchymosis, how could the ME possibly differentiate OSA from exogenous airway occlusion?
I assume you understand importance of the question relative to the death of a massively obese man.

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I'm on my phone. Can someone quote the NYPD policy on chokeholds?

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Here it is:

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Members of the New York City Police Department will NOT use chokeholds. A chokehold shall include, but is not limited to, any pressure to the throat or windpipe, which may prevent or hinder breathing or reduce intake of air.

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If a person appears to be having difficulty breathing or is otherwise demonstrating life-threatening symptoms, medical assistance will be requested immediately. The patrol supervisor will direct that alternate means to maintain custody be utilized, if appropriate.

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LINK

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The ME is political

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Possibly.
Having read the Garner report, the ME is either political or incompetent, or both. Either way he should do better or be shown the door.