Chicago mayor apologizes for teen’s death, vows reforms

The officers used electrical shock, burning and mock executions to elicit confessions from suspects, mostly African-American, from the early 1970s through the early 1990s.

A judge will rule January 14 on whether to order its release. The release of video showing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald’s killing set off weeks of protests.

In terms of reform, Emanuel cited a newly created task force, which will look at the CPD’s internal affairs department and the city’s quasi-independent police oversight agency.

The proposal would allow a recall election to be initiated by a petition with signatures totaling at least 15 percent of the total votes cast in the previous mayoral election, with at least 50 signatures from each Chicago ward, according to Fox 32 Chicago. Even if that means putting signs in windows voicing support for systemic change, or gathering people together for a candlelight vigil, any show of support can go a long way.

Emanuel said that in addition to better community policing, Chicago must confront “underlying challenges of family, of poverty, of joblessness, or hopelessness”.

Another alderman, Leslie Hairston, who is black, said she was particularly struck by the mayor’s talk of unequal treatment because she was initially denied entrance to the council chamber Wednesday, while white colleagues went straight through without showing ID.

As he’s done before, Emanuel noted Wednesday that most Chicago police officers, day in and day out, do a good job.

But the former White House chief of staff has said repeatedly that he will not step down.

The problems in Chicago are complex and decades in the making; cleaning up the police force will require investigators to use a wide aperture.

“You don’t earn trust back with one speech”, Axelrod said.

Messages left for police, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office and the state’s attorney weren’t immediately returned late Friday. Emanuel later said he welcomed such an investigation.

Emanuel also talked more broadly about a “lack of mutual respect” between some Chicagoans and police.

“This is going to get a lot bigger than what it was”, Jeffrey Coleman told NBC Chicago, pointing to intense anger among Chicago residents and alleged abuse by police officers that he said has led to “disrespect and murder in our community”. Sanders says: “No one should be shielded by power or position”.

Less than an hour later, a group of Christian clergy plans to gather at an entrance to the building.

Outside City Hall, protesters swarmed.

On Thursday, a 5 p.m. rally is planned by the Chicago Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel will address a special City Council meeting Wednesday to discuss the police department that’s now at the center of the biggest crisis of his administration.

The Justice Department announced this week that it will be investigating the use of force by Chicago’s police department, looking for a pattern of unconstitutional or discriminatory behavior.

Emanuel’s speech on Wednesday, however, was not just about what happened the night of October 20, 2014, when Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke killed McDonald. It was a full week ago that Emanuel insisted he wouldn’t resign, and tried to quell the firestorm by firing a police superintendent over the shooting. Days of protests and marches followed, including one on the busiest shopping day of the year that partially shut down the city’s most famous shopping district, Michigan Avenue.