Laquan McDonald death: Seven Chicago police face the sack over teen death

Officers in the Police Department were notified via email that Johnson will recommend the firing of seven members of the force involved in the October 2014 shooting, a source said.

The officers’ reports appeared to contradict what can be seen on the video.

The release past year of official police reports that directly contradicted video evidence of McDonald’s shooting by a white police officer turned a spotlight on longstanding concerns about a “code of silence” in Chicago’s police force, in which officers stay quiet about or hide possible misconduct by colleagues.

Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder. “If you look at the history of Chicago, I think we have a new chapter in that effort”.

After police officers were ambushed by lone gunmen in Dallas and Baton Rouge, La., Emanuel urged Chicagoans to “drop the hot rhetoric” and find a way to thank police officers who feel “almost hunted”.

The death of McDonald, who was shot 16 times by an officer in 2014, sparked an outcry in a city already mired in police and community tensions. Just in the past year, the news media have challenged not only Emanuel and his police department, but Gov. Bruce Rauner’s education adviser, who was conducting public business with a private email account. “He’ll make that decision and I’ll back that decision up”.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office has issued an opinion stating that privately transmitted emails about government business are subject to disclosure in a case involving Chicago police officers’ discussion of the Laquan McDonald shooting.

However, the final decision will be handed down by a police oversight board appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

The McDonald case came to the nation’s attention when a judge forced Chicago officials to release police footage of the incident.

If any seven officers are fired, it would be a big win for campaigners who have accused the Independent Review Authority, the committee which oversees police shootings, of routinely clearing officers despite evidence of misconduct.

“Too often these bargaining agreements create the atmosphere that keeps bad police or rogue police from being held accountable and from being disciplined fired or prosecuted”, Pfleger said.

Van Dyke’s partner, Joseph Walsh, told an investigator he repeatedly yelled “Drop the knife!” at McDonald and backed up as the teenager advanced at the officers.

Meanwhile, Ald. Anthony Beale from the Roseland neighborhood said he believes Johnson should act now, and act with a heavy hand to terminate all of the officers that Ferguson has recommended for such action.