Chicago’s police superintendent has recommended that seven officers be fired for lying in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald in October 2014.
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The Chicago Tribune reports that recently the city’s Office of the Inspector General recommended 10 officers be fired in connection to McDonald’s death.
The officers portrayed McDonald as waving a knife threateningly before Officer Jason Van Dyke shot the black teenager.
Their final fate will be determined by a police oversight board appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
“The Department and its outside counsel have carefully reviewed the reports and supporting documents, videos, and other evidence and will accept the OIG’s recommendation to submit seven of the officers to the Police Board for separation based upon Rule 14 allegations outlined in the OIG’s report”, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.
The superintendent did not name any of the officers he is seeking to fire, but many of them were the patrol officers at the scene of the shooting.
And Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder and is awaiting trial.
In the video, however, McDonald can clearly be seen moving away from the responding officers as Van Dyke steps out of his squad vehicle and, seconds later, opens fire. He said their interpretation of what unfolded may have been accurate from their perspective, noting that perceptions can be affected in high-stress situations, like shootings. “The officers have been relieved of their police powers prior to the determination of the Police Board”.
As we’ve previously reported, a dashboard cam captured the 2014 shooting in which police officer Jason Van Dyke shot McDonald 16 times. Further, he supported Van Dyke’s claim saying McDonald “swung the knife toward the officers in an aggressive manner” and that he believed McDonald was “attempting to kill them”.
The subsequent release of police reports raised serious questions about the accounts of other officers at the scene, which contradicted what was on the video.
Another wrote that, Van Dyke “in defense of his life … backpedaled and fired his handgun at McDonald”.
“McDonald fell to the ground but continued to move and continued to grasp the knife, refusing to let go of it”, one report reads. Video seemed to belie those accounts. As seen in police video – Van Dyke arrived, exited his vehicle with his gun drawn and opened fire.
The Chicago Tribune reports that in legal filings Herbert asked prosecutors to specify how his client acted “without legal authority” when he shot McDonald. Prosecutors say the 3-inch blade was found folded into the handle.
“With respect to the tenth officer, CPD respectfully disagrees with the OIG’s recommendation for separation and feels that there is insufficient evidence to prove those respective allegations”. Ten other officers were accused of covering up his crime.
“How comfortable are you that you are going to get a fair shake?” he said.
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The U.S. Justice Department, meanwhile, is investigating whether Chicago police have systematically violated citizens’ rights.
