Bond Posted for Chicago Officer Facing Murder Charge

Van Dyke was released from jail Monday after paying the $150,000 required of his $1.5 million bail.

Even if top Chicago leadership made no effort to cover up McDonald’s murder by Van Dyke, wouldn’t it be pertinent to investigate a police department where an on-the-clock officer with a history of complaints committed first-degree murder? “He is prepared to defend himself”, said Dan Herbert, Van Dyke’s attorney. The Cook County State’s Attorney office asked that he be held without bail, saying they believe he is a flight risk.

Calling for a task force is unlikely to alleviate repeated calls for McCarthy’s firing or tamp down the #resignrahm hashtag that has surged on social media in recent days.

The city in April paid out $5 million settlement to McDonald’s family, and had refused to release squad auto video of the shooting, citing a pending investigation of the case, until a judge ordered to make the recording public last week in response to a records request from an independent journalist.

The bond was posted Monday and Van Dyke left the Cook County jail shortly after 6 p.m.

Protesters are angry not only about the shooting of he teenager, but that it took 13 months to release the footage and to charge the officer.

While it is still unclear as to whether the Chicago Police Department will be investigated or if any of the city’s top leadership will resign, it is clear the protest following the release of information surrounding
McDonald’s murder was successful.

It shows McDonald – armed with a small knife and walking down a street on the city’s southwest side – being shot repeatedly by the 37-year-old Van Dyke. “He is very scared about the consequences that he’s facing”.

“Forensic testing was done on the Burger King surveillance system to determine if anyone tampered with the evidence and the testing did not reveal any such evidence”, Alvarez said at a press conference last week.

A prayer vigil was held outside Chicago Police Headquarters, largely organized by Chicago ministers who said they were praying for peace in the city and justice for McDonald. “That’s outrageous and should lead to further criminal inquiries and the immediate firing of the city’s police superintendent, Garry McCarthy”. McDonald spins around and crumples to the ground.

Given the explosive nature of this case – McDonald was shot 16 times – the credibility of the entire police department was on the line.

Van Dyke’s wife last week started a GoFundMe page to raise money for his bond, but the website took the page down.