DOJ begins civil rights probe into Chicago police

18, people in Chicago will again walk out of school and off their jobs to call for Mayor Rahm Emanuel and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez to resign.

Van Dyke approached Judge James Brown with his hands clasped behind his back when his case was the first to be called in the Branch 66 bond court at about noon.

A throng of news cameras and angry screams greeted Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke Friday after he appeared for a brief court hearing at the Leighton Criminal Courts building. The judge scheduled his arraignment for December 29.

U.S. Department of Justice officials set up a phone number and email for people to report alleged misconduct by Chicago police.

Emanuel also denounced Van Dyke in comments to reporters on November 24, the day that Van Dyke was charged and the city satisfied a court order to release the police video to the public.

One protester pounded on the back of the truck before Van Dyke was able to pull away.

The indictment against Van Dyke, 37, marked the first time a Chicago police officer has been charged with first-degree murder for an on-duty fatality in almost 35 years.

Meanwhile, Van Dyke’s defense attorney, Daniel Herbert, had his own reasons for why he may explore the option for a change of venue for Van Dyke’s trial. He has been indicted by a grand jury on six counts of first-degree murder and one charge of misconduct.

It has been a tough few weeks for Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. Van Dyke attorney Dan Herbert told the AP his client is expected to attend.

Protests and national scrutiny followed last month’s release of the graphic video that shows McDonald run down the middle of Pulaski Road near 41st Street before Van Dyke shoots the African-American teenager 16 times.

Since the video’s release, Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy resigned from his position and the Justice Department has launched a federal investigation into the incident.

“The investigation is focused on CPD’s use of force, including racial, ethnic or other disparities in its use of force, and CPD’s accountability systems including how CPD conducts internal investigations, responds to citizen complaints and handles officer discipline”, the department’s notice read. “In Cook County it hasn’t been done in decades”, Herbert said.