Protesters march around Chicago City Hall

Hunter told reporters Friday the 17-year-old was not a gang member, adding that McDonald “was a big boy, but he was a teddy bear”. This afternoon, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Cook County Commissioner Rickard Boykin and other community and faith leaders held a “march for justice” around City Hall. A few activists with them wore T-shirts that read “Rahm Failed Us”.

Zopp has said a special prosecutor would assure a fair proceeding and that she would ask Chief Circuit Court Judge Tim Evans and Chief Criminal Court Judge LeRoy Martin Jr.to appoint one. The agency has been criticized as toothless since the city released the video showing the shooting of McDonald in October 2014.

Emanuel, meanwhile, apologized for the Laquan McDonald shooting on Wednesday, the same day a bill was introduced in the state legislature that would create a process to recall Chicago’s mayor. Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez is our guest this week on Newsviews.

Attorney Jeffrey Neslund says the agreement not to release the video was part of a $5 million settlement approved by the city in April with the family of Laquan McDonald.

The great uncle of a black teen shot sixteen times by white Chicago cop calls for the Federal Government’s involvement in a national summit on urban violence, poverty and police brutality..

The city argues that the release of the Chatman footage would interfere with an unbiased trial, but three South Side pastors held a news conference early Friday morning to demand that the footage be released to the public. The officer involved in the shooting has since been charged with murder.

They are also calling for a mass voter registration.

Alvarez has defended the delay in bringing charges against Van Dyke, calling it a complex investigation. More protests are planned.

The group said holding elected officials accountable is what their protest is all about.

“Dreads doesn’t mean terrible”, said Hunter, referring to McDonald’s hair style.

“When he saw you he greeted you with a hug”, the uncle said.

Much of the most pointed criticism of Emanuel has centered on the idea that he may have suppressed the truth about McDonald’s death during the closing weeks of his contentious re-election campaign. Records show he was taken from his house at the age of 3 because the state’s Department of Children and Family Services determined his mother didn’t provide proper supervision. He’s reported on the Chicago police department for years; he unearthed McDonald’s autopsy and has continued to pursue the story.