US Judge Releases New Video of White Cops Killing Black Man

Footage of the police shooting of Cedrick Chatman, a black Chicago teenager, could be released as early as Thursday after a federal judge lifted a protective order. Chicago website before the city’s official release, shows two officers chasing Chatman, Chatman running around a corner, one officer drawing his gun, and then Chatman on the ground, all within 10 seconds. In his deposition, Fry said that he thought that Chatman was holding a gun and had turned slightly towards both officers. They said in a Wednesday court filing that the city was dropping its opposition in an effort to be more transparent while it waits for a recently created special task force to review policies regarding the release of videos showing disputed police shootings.

Release of the video stirred outrage in a city that already has been roiled by controversy since the November release of the fatal police shooting video of Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has faced increased criticism for the city’s handling of police shootings and last weekend city officials announced an independent review of how civil rights suits are handled by the city.

Since the teenager’s death, his family – which is suing the city government and the two officers who chased the teenager – have sought the release of video footage it believes will disprove the police’s story. An attorney for the family stated that the release of the video will further support the claims that there is a systemic problem in Chicago involving the slaying of African American youth by the city’s police force. Officers Fry and Toth identified a carjacked vehicle and had reason to believe that the suspect was armed.

The lawsuit stated that IPRA ordered Davis to change his findings in at least six different cases between 2014 and 2015 and to “more favorably reflect” upon the accused officers’ conducts in his reports.

Andrew Hale, a lawyer for two officers named as defendants in the lawsuit, said in an email Thursday that the video will show his clients acted properly.

Rewind the video, and it starts with Chatman jumping out of a auto police say was reported stolen.

But, the judge added, “the video is not as clear” in showing “exactly what Chatman’s position was or what he had in his hand” when he was shot. “We’re still hoping it’s a systemic change in the way police misconduct is treated in the city of Chicago, and that’s what this fight is about”, said Smolens.

Chatman’s family has filed a federal lawsuit against Fry, the city and the police department. Neither officer in the Chatman shooting has been charged with wrongdoing, and both remain on full-duty status.

Chatman was not carrying a weapon and investigators later found an iPhone 5 case near his body.

“From our point of view, it’s very clear Mr. Chatman is running as fast as he can”, Coffman said at a Thursday morning press conference. They urged the release of the video to the public as part of that case.

“I did not see where deadly force was called for at that time”.

In ordering the videos’ release, U.S. District Court Judge Robert Gettleman indicated Fry might have put his partner’s life in danger, saying Toth was running so close to the teen when shots rang out “you might say he was in the line of fire”. But as protests and commentary around high-profile cases have mounted, the need to fill an information vacuum with video evidence has gained supremacy over the idea that prosecutors have wide discretion to withhold evidence until trial. Coffman says the teen never turned toward the officers and posed no threat.