That officer, Jason Van Dyke, is charged with first-degree murder after shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times.
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The release of those images triggered protests, forced the resignation of the city’s police chief and put the entire Police Department under a wide-ranging civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.
But department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the department has made “historic” strides in promoting African Americans and said that with the most recent promotions half of the department’s senior command staff is now made up of African Americans. If he were, he would understand that State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez delay in pursuing justice for McDonald’s death is justice denied.
The indictment accuses Van Dyke of shooting McDonald without lawful justification, knowing his actions created a strong possibility of death.
Protestors insist that a coverall took place in the killing. Video of the shooting – released 13 months after his death – is graphic and shows a single officer, Jason Van Dyke, firing on the young man and continuing to fire for 14 to 15 seconds after McDonald had fallen to the ground.
The group says there are also serious flaws with the hiring and promotion of officers within the department.
Chicago joins 22 other police departments similarly investigated since the start of the Obama administration, including Baltimore and New Orleans.
“The investigation is focused on CPD’s use of force, including racial, ethnic or other disparities in its use of force, and CPD’s accountability systems including how CPD conducts internal investigations, responds to citizen complaints and handles officer discipline”, the department’s notice read. There’s no rush: Investigations of far smaller departments have taken a year to finish and the one into Chicago’s 12,000-officer force could take longer. “But when community members feel that they are not receiving that kind of policing. There are profound con-sequences for the rule of law, and for the countless law enforcement officers who strive to fulfill their duties with professionalism and integrity”.
Without specifying where he wanted to see the trial moved, Herbert told reporters he would “have to find a county that is outside the reach of the mayor’s comments”.
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She concluded, “When suspicion and hostility are allowed to fester, it can erupt into unrest”. It has happened in some high-profile trials of police officers.
