NAACP calls for federal charges against officer who killed Laquan McDonald

The NAACP on Tuesday sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to file federal civil rights charges against the white Chicago police officer who fatally shot Black teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014.

Former officer Jason Van Dyke was sentenced to six years and nine months after his conviction in October 2018 for the killing of McDonald, who was 17 at the time. Van Dyke is set to be released from prison on Thursday after serving less than half of his prison sentence.

In the letter, NAACP President Derrick Johnson urged Garland to "provide your commitment to move forward with appropriate and applicable federal charges based on the Federal Grand Jury findings and other relevant evidence"

"Given the egregious nature of his crime, the NAACP believes that at a minimum, the murderous officer should be charged with a federal civil rights violation under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242 - Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law," Johnson added.

He added that over its 113-year history, the organization has "seen unfair and inequitable favor given to law enforcement officers who unjustly take the lives of members of the Black community and have fought fervently in opposition to such favor."

[SOURCE: THE HILL]

16 police officers participated in an elaborate cover-up after Laquan McDonald's death

"Sixteen shots and a cover-up" became a familiar chant from protesters who filled Chicago streets after 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was fatally shot by a police officer in 2014.

Now, five years later, the investigative report from Inspector General Joseph Ferguson reveals the full extent of what his office described as an elaborate cover-up by 16 officers and supervisors, including former police officer Jason Van Dyke, who fired the shots.

4 Chicago police fired for alleged police shooting coverup in shooting of Laquan McDonald,

Four officers accused of lying about the circumstances around the fatal shooting of a black teen have been fired by the Chicago Police Board.

The 2014 killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, which was captured on police video camera, sparked months of protests and became emblematic of longstanding police abuse in America’s third-largest city.

A jury in October convicted a white police officer, Jason Van Dyke, of second-degree murder for firing 16 bullets into McDonald, most of which struck the teen after he fell to the ground.

The Police Board said that Sergeant Stephen Franko and three other officers had exaggerated the threat posed by McDonald in order to cover for Van Dyke, according to a decision handed down Thursday.

“Their conduct is antithetical to that expected and required of a sworn law enforcement officer, who at all times has a duty to act with honesty and integrity and to accurately and completely report their observations,“ the board said in a statement.

“Their conduct is antithetical to that expected and required of a sworn law enforcement officer, who at all times has a duty to act with honesty and integrity and to accurately and completely report their observations,“ the board said in a statement.

Chicago police Officer found guilty of second-degree murder in Laquan McDonald killing

Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke was convicted Friday of second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, marking a stunning end to a racially tinged case that roiled the city when now-infamous police dashboard camera video of the shooting was released three years ago by court order.

Van Dyke is the first Chicago police officer in half a century to be found guilty of murder for an on-duty shooting. He faces a minimum of six years in prison when he is sentenced by Judge Vincent Gaughan.

The jury deliberated for about 7½ hours before finding Van Dyke guilty of second-degree murder instead of the first-degree charge on which he was indicted.

The veteran officer also was convicted of all 16 counts of aggravated battery for each shot he fired at McDonald. The jury acquitted him, however, of a single count of official misconduct.

Second-degree murder does not carry mandatory prison time — offenders can be sentenced to four to 20 years in prison or even receive probation.

In Illinois, those convicted of second-degree murder typically serve about half their sentence.

Second-degree murder does not carry mandatory prison time — offenders can be sentenced to four to 20 years in prison or even receive probation.

In Illinois, those convicted of second-degree murder typically serve about half their sentence.

[SOURCE: CHICAGO TRIBUNE]

Three Chicago officers indicted in Laquan McDonald case

Three current or former Chicago police officers were indicted Tuesday on state felony charges of conspiracy in the investigation of the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald.

Former Detective David March, and former Patrol Officer Joseph Walsh and Patrol Officer Thomas Gaffney were charged with conspiracy, official misconduct and obstruction of justice, according to a news release from Special Prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes' office.

"The indictment makes clear that these defendants did more than merely obey an unofficial 'code of silence,' rather it alleges that they lied about what occurred to prevent independent criminal investigators from learning the truth," Holmes said.

In the 11-page indictment Van Dyke is referred to as Individual A and as a part of the conspiracy. He has been accused of official misconduct. Arraignment set for July

Gaffney, 43; March, 58; and Walsh, 48, are accused of writing incident reports that "contained important false information in an attempt to prevent or shape any criminal investigation."

Several reports referred to three officers being battered, which the the indictment says is false. Police statements that McDonald was threatening Van Dyke with his knife were also lies, the document says.

The indictment also says the officers failed to interview at least three witnesses whose versions of the events were different than those of police.

The indictment says there are other individuals that may be part of the conspiracy, but Holmes wouldn't comment on whether other officers will be indicted. She told reporters the investigation is ongoing.

The officers will be arraigned July 10.

[SOURCE: CNN]

New charges against Chicago cop in Laquan McDonald shooting

Chicago police officer already facing first-degree murder charges for the controversial shooting of a black teen will face an additional 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, a special prosecutor announced Thursday.

The new grand jury indictment brings to 23 the number of felony charges against officer Jason Van Dyke, previously charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of official misconduct for the 2014 fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. The special prosecutor, Joseph McMahon, announced the additional charges during a status hearing for Van Dyke on Thursday.

Read more: New charges against Chicago cop in Laquan McDonald shooting

Top cop seeks to fire 7 officers for lying about Laquan McDonald shooting

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.

McDonald's death was captured in a video that contradicted the accounts of officers.

Superintendent Eddie Johnson emailed police Thursday morning, telling them that he had recommended seven officers be fired for making false statements. He also stripped the officers of their police powers.

Johnson's move came in response to Inspector General Joseph Ferguson's recent report on the shooting in which he recommended that 10 officers be fired. But Johnson wrote that he thought the evidence against one of the officers was insufficient to recommend termination.

Read more Top cop seeks to fire 7 officers for lying about Laquan McDonald shooting

Black Lives Matter protesters interrupt U.S. mayors' conference

Demonstrators from the Black Lives Matter movement interrupted the U.S. Conference of Mayors' meeting on Wednesday, protesting the killing of a Chicago teenager by police and the lead-tainted water supply of Flint, Michigan.

At least three people among onlookers and one person on stage held up signs when Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the group's president, spoke during the meeting's opening news conference at a hotel in Washington, D.C.

One protester interrupted her several times, shouting, "You failed us!" Baltimore was torn in April by rioting over the death of black detainee Freddie Gray, and six police officers are facing charges.

Read more: Black Lives Matter protesters interrupt U.S. mayors' conference

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Announces Police Training Overhaul

After the recent deaths of Laquan McDonald, Bettie Jones and Quintonio LeGrier, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is making some reforms when it comes to how and when Chicago Police use deadly force. While these changes are for the better it infuriated me that these are things that are not already in place in a modern big city police department. George Cook AfricanAmericanReports.com.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Wednesday that the city will overhaul police tactics and training to mitigate tension between residents and officers following the outrage caused by the deadly police shootings of Laquan McDonald in 2014 and Bettie Jones and Quintonio LeGrier on Saturday.

Emanuel said that any officer involved in a shooting will be put on desk duty for 30 days. Previously, they were only subject to three days of desk duty, even if the shooting was fatal.

The police department will also double the number of tasers used by police to 1,400 and will encourage trained officers to use them first before drawing a gun, Emanuel said.

After reviewing crisis response tactics over the past couple months, the city of Chicago has set an initiative to improve communications between officers and individuals in tense situations.

"Force can be the last option, not the first choice," Emanuel said. "The goal is to make sure everyone goes home safely."

[SOURCE]

SPIKE LEE, OTHERS CALL FOR NATIONAL ANTI-GUN VIOLENCE INITIATIVE

Film director Spike Lee, the director of ChiRaq a movie about gun violence in Chicago and the Reverend Al Sharpton are part of a major new national push to end gun violence. Lew cites the murder of a 9-year-old boy, TyShawn Lee in Chicago as an example of how severe the epidemic has become.

During the press conference Lee pointed out you can't be vocal after Laquann McDonald was shot 16 times by a Chicago police officer and silent after 9-year old Tyshawn Lee was killed.

"Tyshawn Lee is led to an alley and executed," he said. "It's not an either/or situation. It has to be both." Watch Spike Lee and others discuss this initiative below.

President Obama statement on Laquan McDonald video

President Obama has released the following statement on the disturbing video of Laquan McDonald being shot and on the peaceful demonstrations in his hometown of Chicago.

Like many Americans, I was deeply disturbed by the footage of the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. This...

Posted by President Obama on Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Video of Laquan McDonald's shooting

WARNING: Graphic Video, viewer discretion is advised. Chicago Police released dashcam video that shows a police officer shooting 17-year-old Laquan Mcdonald in 2014. Watch the tragic and disturbing video below.