Van Dyke was initially charged with murder by the county prosecutor on November 24, becoming the first Chicago officer to be charged with murder in an on-duty killing in more than three decades. Contrary to the Fraternal Order of Police account of what had transpired-that McDonald charged police officers who feared for their lives-the video showed that Laquan was walking away from the police when Van Dyke singularly shot the Black boy 16 times. Following the release of a police dash-cam video of the shooting, protests erupted in the city, Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy was forced out and calls came for Emanuel to step down, the Chicago Tribune reported.
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And on Thursday, they and the U.S. Attorney’s office met with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his staff and separately with the new head of the Independent Police Review Authority, Sharon Fairley. Jason Van Dyke appeared at a preliminary courtroom hearing Friday. for the 1st time since a grand jury indicted him earlier this current week.
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Prosecutors had charged the cop last month with a single count of first-degree murder related to the altercation that led to the death of Laquan, 17. Van Dyke shot the teen 16 times in a 2014 shooting captured on a squad auto video.
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The group, which works to improve relations between police and residents, says it can help investigators identify problems in police training and the promotions process to help the city heal more quickly from the trauma of the Laquan McDonald police shooting. On that date Van Dyke is expected to enter a plea, and a trial judge will be assigned to the case. An arraignment will be scheduled, likely within a few weeks.
Defense attorney Dan Herbert told The Associated Press he may ask for a change of venue because of remarks Emanuel has made in several public appearances. “The truth is, if next week we had the best police department in America, we would still have second class citizenship because we have folks living in second class communities”, Pfleger said, referencing Emanuel’s address to City Council last week where he said “No citizen is a second class citizen in Chicago”. Alvarez has responded that any investigation into a police shooting is “highly complex” and presents unique legal issues. Pfleger suggested the mayor go to corporations as well as the county, state and federal governments for investments in struggling communities.
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Chicago joins 22 other police departments similarly investigated since the start of the Obama administration, including Baltimore and New Orleans.
