Officials Release Video Of Murder Of Laquan McDonald By Chicago Police Officer

“People have a right to be angry”. People have a right to free speech. The judge said they had no criminal intent. The video, by court order, had to be released by Wednesday.

Smith argued the city had violated state’s open record law by failing to release the video.

17-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times by Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke. Alvarez said she expedited her announcement of the charges to coincide with the release of the video. Alvarez described it as “violent”, “chilling”, and “graphic”. “I have absolutely no doubt that this video will tear at the hearts of all Chicagoans”. Police released the video Tuesday evening, hours after charges were filed against Van Dyke. Van Dyke was not being paid by the department anymore. But after several months of mounting pressure from activists and journalists to make the police vehicle dashboard camera footage available to the public, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police Supt.

At the time of his death, police were responding to complaints about someone breaking into cars and stealing radios.

Van Dyke, who is white, was charged with murder on Tuesday.

Prosecutors told the court the video clearly shows that McDonald was not advancing on Van Dyke, who started firing six seconds after he got out of his squad auto. Many of those rounds were fired after McDonald was on the ground.

“Violence will not honor the life of Laquan and will do nothing to hold this defendant accountable for his actions”, she said, adding that Van Dyke will be held accountable for his actions.

“Chicago police fought hard to keep the dash cam video secret”, ThinkProgress’ Aviva Shen reports. According to The NY Times, the Chicago police department has a history of abuse of Black men. They accuse her of having held onto the case for over a year, and is only now moving forward because she has no other choice.

In a statement released through his lawyer Mr Van Dyke, 37, said that the shooting was justified because he felt threatened. The incredibly disturbing video was released November 24 and is sure to escalate racial tensions in the Windy City.

Emanuel reiterated his desire for calm at the press conference on Tuesday, but also said he hopes police officers will do a better job seeing potential in citizens instead of a possible threat.