Protesters allege a cover up and have called for the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.
Advertisement
McDonald was shot 16 times in October 2014 by police Officer Jason Van Dyke, who is charged with first-degree murder.
Marvin Hunter, pastor of a west side Baptist church and Laquan McDonald’s great-uncle, did echo calls by protesters that Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez should step down. Hunter says they will thank the public for demanding justice and change.
Grant supports calls for a special prosecutor, federal monitoring of the Chicago Police Department and termination of officers who have falsified reports on the McDonald shooting and other police-involved shootings.
McDonald family attorney Jeff Neslund warned the city in a letter to the Corporation Counsel’s office on March 6th of this year: “This case will undoubtedly bring a microscope of national attention to the shooting” and “the City’s pattern, practice and procedures”.
Officials fought in court for months to keep the footage from being released, efforts that coincided with Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s re-election campaign, during which the mayor was seeking African-American votes in a tight race. Acting on a judge’s order, the city released it November 24. “One of our major demands is that police be defunded, and that that money used to fund police be used to fund black futures-and be used to fund our communities and things that we need”.
“Dreads doesn’t mean awful”, said Hunter, referring to McDonald’s hair. He fired the police chief and named a new head of the independent body that investigates police conduct.
Protesters once again filled City Hall Friday demanding change and investigations in Chicago. AP material published by LongIsland.com, isdone so with explicit permission.
“Today, I own it. I take responsibility for what happened because it happened on my watch”, Emanuel said.
“When he saw you he greeted you with a hug”, Hunter said.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner, Mr. Charles Ramsey, who is from Chicago, today said Mr. Emanuel shouldn’t resign because of one incident, citing the fact that voters just re-hired him and if they were truly unhappy, that should’ve been reflected in the voter turnout.
Advertisement
Prosecutors made a decision to charge Van Dyke because he was not facing an immediate threat from McDonald, and because he continued to fire at the teen as he lay on the ground after being shot.
