But Herbert braced for the judge to order the video released.
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Attorneys Michael Robbins, left, and Jeffrey Neslund, council for the mother of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald who was fatally shot by a Chicago police officer, talk to reporters Thursday, November 19, 2015, after Cook County Judge Franklin Valderrama ordered the Chicago Police Department to release a video of the shooting by November 25, in Chicago. The city today gave up the case against releasing the video and says it will not file an appeal.
The IL Attorney General’s office recently asked the city to release the video and said police failed to show how releasing it would interfere with the investigation. The officer has been stripped of his police powers and is now on desk duty. In this case unfortunately, it appears an officer violated that trust at every level. Van Dyke has been under criminal investigation by the FBI and federal prosecutors in relation to the incident.
The city’s law department spokesman, Bill McCaffrey, reiterated on Wednesday that the city plans to release the video once a federal grand jury investigation concludes.
“I saw the family say they didn’t want it out”.
McDonald’s mother hasn’t seen the video, and she doesn’t want it shown publicly, because she fears it could spark riots.
They agreed the video was potentially explosive.
“We have to make that clear because there’s no room in the world for more violence”, he said, “so people have to be peaceful, organized and stand up for Laquan McDonald”. “I share their concern”.
The city could wait until the last minute of the Wednesday deadline to release the video. Specifically, he said there could have been a case to be made if and only if the police department itself was conducting an internal investigation – but not if outside investigations are happening.
He said Hunter was not part of the battle to release the video.
Calloway said his collaboration with Smith reflects a partnership needed for society at large to address its problems. “I beg them to show me how they are – in facts”.
A freelance journalist requested the footage in a public records request.
Van Dyke’s attorney, Dan Herbert, said he is concerned that someone could try to harm the officer because they do not understand the context in which the shooting occurred.
The American Civil Liberties Union of IL has also gone on record saying the video should be released. Nearly all shootings were found to be justified.
“We need to stop the practice of spending millions of dollars to pay for official misconduct instead of investing dollars in the economies of our communities and programs for young men like Mr. McDonald who are so often ignored by our society until there is a tragedy”.
When another squad auto tried to block McDonald near Pulaski Road, Patton said, the suspect stabbed a vehicle tire and continued on.
An autopsy report showed that McDonald was shot 16 times, including at least twice in his back.
The other squad auto pulled up beside, then in front of the teenager and both officers jumped out with their guns drawn.
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ABC News reports that the teen’s lawyers got ahold of the video and stated that Officer Van Dyke open fired on the teen and continued shooting McDonald after he fell to the ground. Seven of the complaints involved arrest/lock-up procedures, though Chicago Police investigators did not sustain any of the complaints and Van Dyke was never disciplined.
