Probably so, though chokeholds may be safer on a person with health issues than getting tazed or pepper-sprayed.
Police officers are taught to mostly hit limbs with their batons, never the head. Of course, there are always those who don't follow policy in the heat of the moment or because they are aholes.
I agree, though I don't think the chokehold was properly applied because he could still talk. From the video, I think only one officer actually jumped on him (the guy applying the choke), though having several officers attack you probably wasn't good for his heart. Still, his history of health issues and 400lbs of bulk played the largest part. The public will still go after the police officer and dept.