Rahm Emanuel Reverses Course, Welcomes DOJ Probe of Laquan McDonald Killing

Black aldermen called for McCarthy’s firing in October, but the mayor did not act until Tuesday – after a week of national outrage over the November 24th court-ordered release of dash cam video of the 17-year-old being shot 16 times. However, squad auto video shows McDonald veering away from officers before he was shot 16 times by officer Jason Van Dyke.

Emanuel’s office said his comments Wednesday, that a new investigation would be misguided and that he doesn’t want the feds “hitting the reset button”, refers to the ongoing federal investigation into the Laquan McDonald case only.

In the Johnson case, family attorney Michael D. Oppenheimer told reporters in the wake of Emanuel’s announcement he “wasn’t that surprised, given the pressure we’ve put on them, the press has put on them, that the public has put on them”.

“Supt. McCarthy knows that a police officer is only as effective as when he has the trust of those he serves”, Emanuel said, adding it was “undeniable” that “the public trust in the leadership of the department has been shaken and eroded”.

Many protesters have called for Emanuel and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez to resign over their handling of the case, but Rauner said it would be up to voters to decide if Alvarez should stay in office, when she’s up for re-election next year, and he applauded the mayor – a longtime friend – for welcoming a federal investigation of the Chicago Police Department’s policies and practices. Shortly after that, the city released a patrol-car video of the shooting.

This story will be updated.

“People will fill the void with something if they don’t see the videos – with speculation or rumors”, said Michele Earl-Hubbard, a Seattle-based attorney and advocate of government transparency.

His mother, Dorothy Holmes, said the dashcam footage of the shooting proves her son was slain and is pushing for the video’s release to the public.

Oppenheimer filed a lawsuit to have the dashcam video released – after he says the city refused to hand it over. A long wait often only invites accusations that city leaders and police are seeking to hide some wrongdoing or endeavoring to cover something up.

“We don’t need mayors and the so-called Independent Police Review Authority covering up for these guys and this panel the mayor created is more of the same”, Davis said.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of IL is joining those calling for a federal investigation into policing practices at the Chicago Police Department.

Oppenheimer said they have already viewed the dashcam video and noted there is no audio on it – even though the videos typically have sound.

“I think it is a step in the right direction”, Oppenheimer said. “Nobody fired their weapons until George Hernandez pulled up in a vehicle, got out and drew his weapon and fired five shots at the back of Ronald Johnson”. “He is running what I would term to be straight ahead”, Oppenheimer said. He was charged with gambling in 2007, pled guilty to misdemeanor assault in 2008, and pled guilty to gang loitering in 2011.

“It’s not going to bring him back”, Holmes said. “I don’t want it”.

Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke, accused of fatally shooting a black teenager, arrives at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse in Chicago on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015.