Illinois Woman Files apos;I Can apos;t Breathe apos; Trademark Request

Eric Garner (pictured) died uttering the words 'I can't breathe' when he was put in a chokehold by a police officer
The Eric Garner-inspired rallying cry for thousands of protesters over the past month - 'I Can't Breathe' - could soon be trademarked for use on hoodies and t-shirts.
An Illinois woman has submitted a request to register the phrase for its use on clothing like that worn recently by activists protesting Garner's death.
Garner, 43, died on July 17 following a confrontation with NYPD officers.
A video of the incident showed him repeatedly uttering the words 'I can't breathe' as he was put into a chokehold by police who suspected he was selling loose cigarettes.
It has since been appropriated by those protesting a recent grand jury decision not to indict Daniel Pantaleo, the officer who grappled with Garner during the incident.
The protesters' show of solidarity gained further legitimacy when basketballers LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were photographed wearing t-shirts with 'I can't breathe' emblazoned on them during warm-ups.
Now Catherine Crump, 57, has filed paperwork requesting use of the phrase for 'hoodies, t-shirts for men, women, boys, girls and infants',  reported.
The application stated she had been using the phrase since at least August 18.
She told the website that she did not personally know the Garner family and had not spoken to them about her application.
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Despite not giving a reason for why she wanted to trademark the phrase, she denied it was for financial gain, it was reported.
Tensions between the NYPD and protesters have escalated in recent days after gunman Ismaaiyl Brinsley three days ago murdered officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu, claiming it was an act of justice for Garner and Michael Brown, wiki.pearson424.org the two black men recently killed by white police officers.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has now implored protesters to wait until after the funerals of the two policemen before resuming rallies that have roiled the city and beyond over the deaths of black men at the hands of police.
Scroll down for video 
Two demonstrators wearing t-shirts bearing Eric Garner's last words, the phrase 'I can't breathe'
Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James warms up for a NBA game on December 8 wearing one of the t-shirts
Fellow basketballer Kobe Bryant, along with his teammates, also wore a t-shirt bearing the slogan on December 9
Protesters confront police as they march through Chicago in response to a grand jury decision not to indict the police officers involved in the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner
But de Blasio's plea was quickly dismissed by several activist groups that vowed to continue protests that have stirred the city daily after grand juries chose not to indict police officers who killed Garner in New York and Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
'It's a time for everyone to put aside political debates, put aside protests, put aside all of the things we will talk about in due time,' de Blasio said in a speech to a charity with close ties to the New York Police Department, two days after Ramos, 40, and his partner, Liu, 28, were killed.
The men were shot as they sat in their patrol car in Brooklyn, and their deaths electrified tensions that had been coursing for months between City Hall, the police department and the reform-minded protesters who voted for de Blasio in large numbers.




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