The release a year ago of official police reports that directly contradicted video evidence of McDonald’s shooting by a white police officer turned a spotlight on longstanding concerns about a “code of silence” in Chicago’s police force, in which officers stay quiet about or hide possible misconduct by colleagues.
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Based on Van Dyke’s version of events, which was backed up by his colleagues at the scene, authorities had quickly deemed McDonald’s death a “justifiable homicide” within hours of the incident. The video, which showed Van Dyke shooting McDonald repeatedly for several seconds after he already lay almost motionless on the ground, inspired heated protests fueled by long-standing discontent among African-Americans about police conduct. But police protocol indicates that all the cruisers should have been recording audio that night.
Eddie Johnson has moved to terminate seven officers who reportedly gave false information regarding the 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald.
The superintendent’s announcement comes after the city’s Inspector General Joseph Ferguson delivered a report on the shooting, recommending the termination of eight officers, according to Anthony Guglielmi, a police spokesman.
Officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder in the 2014 shooting death of McDonald.
I applaud Superintendent Johnson for taking swift and decisive action, pursuant to the Inspector General’s report and the recommendations of IPRA Director Sharon Fairley, to remove from the CPD the officers involved in covering up the horrific murder of Laquan McDonald.
“While I know that this type of action can come with many questions and varying opinions, please know that these decisions were not made lightly”, Johnson wrote to officers, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The police reports on the shooting conflicted with video footage of the incident, sparking accusations that Van Dyke’s fellow officers were trying to cover up an unjustified shooting. Van Dyke initially claimed the teen charged him with a knife. He has pleaded not guilty.
The reports of the 10 officers appeared to contradict what can be seen on the video.
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The department further said it “respectfully disagrees” with the recommendation to fire the 10th officer because of “insufficient evidence to prove those respective allegations”. The initial police statements prompted police supervisors to rule McDonald’s death a justifiable homicide just hours after he was killed.
