“Everything changes after today” – Chicago moves forward after historic Van Dyke verdict
By Javanna Plummer and Becky Dernbach Medill Reports Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a “statement of interest” Friday opposing a consent decree to reform the Chicago Police Department, one week after the conviction of white police officer Jason Van Dyke for second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery in the 2014 death of black teenager […]
Van Dyke suggested shooting McDonald before arriving on scene
By Becky Dernbach Medill Reports A defense witness revealed this week that Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke was talking about shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald before he ever saw him. “Why don’t they shoot him if he’s attacking them?” Van Dyke asked when he first heard the radio reports that McDonald had popped a squad […]
Coalition calls for special prosecutor in Jason Van Dyke murder case
By Aryn Braun and Misha Euceph Video by Kierra Gray In a petition filed this morning, 27 interested parties called for a special prosecutor in the trial of police officer Jason Van Dyke, citing Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez’s close ties to the Fraternal Order of Police as a “conflict of interest.” The petitioners, […]