Protesters keep up pressure on mayor over police shootings

A Friday news release that comes weeks after video of a white police officer fatally shooting black teenager Laquan McDonald was made public, takes the unusual step of acknowledging that the public’s trust in the department “has been shaken”.

Activists are demanding that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel resign, as The Two-Way previously reported. The city released a video of the incident last month.

Thousands of emails were released to AP and other outlets after an open-records request.

Also in May, Collins complained to colleagues that IPRA did not follow his recommendation on how to respond to a TV station about McDonald.

Also on Thursday, the city released to the media a trove of emails – hundreds of messages, covering about 3,000 pages – regarding the McDonald case.

After the release of the emails, Adam Collins, a spokesman for the mayor, told The Chicago Sun-Times that “City Hall was never involved with [the Independent Police Review Authority’s] investigation of McDonald”. “I think those are all reactionary efforts that he’s making due that he’s in, to try to save his position”.

On Wednesday, Emanuel announced a series of police training reforms that will see an increase in the number of tasers provided to police officers in the city. Only after the video became public, prosecutors charged Van Dyke with first degree murder and official misconduct, charges to which he pleaded not guilty in a court hearing on Tuesday.

Neslund said the family wished for a settlement, and laid out a few reasons why the city might want one, too, including the video: “I submit the graphic dash cam video will have a powerful impact on any jury and the Chicago community as a whole”, he wrote.

The video showed McDonald veering away from officers before he was repeatedly shot, including while he was facedown on the pavement.

Emanuel announced changes in police training and department policies on use of force during a news conference. He suggested in an October 11 email that officials would be “smart to act timely and strategically” in both cases.

The release of the video set off weeks of demonstrations and forced the resignation of Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. They said they’ll continue to show up for 16 days in all.

Chicago has been gripped by protests in recent months following a string of fatal shootings by police officers, the most recent of which took place on December 26 when a Chicago police officer shot and killed 19-year-old student Quintonio LeGrier and 55-year-old Bettie Jones, a mother of five.

Once the investigation is complete, Alvarez said her office will determine whether any charges would be filed.