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.
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The group also wants a Justice Department investigation of the police department to be expanded to include the mayor’s office and Cook County State’s Attorney’s office.
During his address, Hunter called for a national summit to address gun violence, urban poverty and police misconduct and hoped President Barack Obama would dispatch someone from the White House to attend. Squad-car footage was released late last month upon a judge’s order, and there have been protests nearly daily since.
Despite Emanuel issuing an apology, several prominent Chicago pastors have rejected Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s gesture of forgiveness and are demanding that his administration release yet another dash cam recording in which a white police officer fatally shot seventeen-year-old Cedrick Chatman.
Hunter said McDonald was raised by his great-grandmother and, despite a tough life, was gentle, loving and fond of telling jokes.
Most black voters in Chicago also disapprove of the embattled mayor by 53 percent, while 56 percent of white voters in the city said they disapprove of his job performance.
McDonald’s mother was not in attendance because she’s “hurting and traumatized by the constant reminder and senseless death of her son”, Hunter said, referencing the video, which has been replayed on TV frequently. “In all fairness, we should give him a chance to fix the problem, not just oust him because there is a problem”, said Tonya Hunter, an Emanuel supporter. He told reporters Friday that the McDonald case is but one of many in which African-Americans have been mistreated by Chicago police.
Bishop Tavis Grant said they plan to deliver the petition to the mayor “so he can feel the pulse of the community”.
The city is fighting the release of that video, arguing that it could prejudice would-be jurors if the case goes to trial.
McDonald was shot 16 times in October 2014 by police Officer Jason Van Dyke, who is charged with first-degree murder.
Alvarez blamed the delay on the complexities of investigating a police shooting. Emanuel apologized this week that the incident occurred under his administration.
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A new study reveals that a mass majority of Latinos living in Chicago approve of the city’s police department, but strongly disapprove of Mayor Rahm Emanuel in wake of public outrage over the police shooting Laquan McDonald. He fired the police chief and named a new head of the agency that investigates police conduct.
