A New York City grand jury has decided not to indict New York Police Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of Eric Garner, the Staten Island man who died after police allegedly put him in an illegal chokehold in July.

The special 23-member grand jury began investigating Garner's death in September and reached a decision on Wednesday after hearing months of testimony, including from Officer Pantaleo, himself, reports the New York Times.

The incident took place on July 17 when Garner, a 43-year-old African American man, had a verbal confrontation with two plainclothes NYPD officers who accused him of selling untaxed cigarettes. A video recording appears to show Officer Pantaleo putting Garner in a chokehold while he was resisting arrest. The white cop also slammed Garner's face into the ground, ignoring the victim's repeated cries "I can't breathe."  Authorities say that the asthmatic married father-of-six died from a heart attack about an hour after his arrest.

According to the Medical Examiner's Office, Garner's death was a homicide caused by "compression of neck (chokehold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police," reports the New York Post.

However, the police union and Pantaleo's lawyer argued that the white cop didn't use a chokehold but a takedown move, and that Garner's poor health was the cause of his death.

Other cops who were at the scene, including two sergeants, were given immunity in exchange for their testimony to the grand jury.

According to NBC New York, the jury was comprised of 14 white people, nine non-whites and at least five blacks. In order to make a decision, only 12 jurors need to agree based on all the evidence presented by the prosecution.

Garner's relatives described the 350-pound, 6-foot-3 man as a "gentle giant" and a "big teddy bear," reports the Staten Island Live.

His family also announced plans to sue the city for $75 million for wrongful death, pre-death pain and suffering, and civil rights violations. They are also calling for a federal investigation into his death.