Jason Van Dyke trial: Chicago takes to the streets following murder conviction
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
CHICAGO — Activists in Chicago used protests to celebrate the murder conviction of a white police officer who killed a black teenager in 2014.
Officer Jason Van Dyke was found guilty of second-degree murder Friday afternoon for shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times on October 20, 2014. Van Dyke was responding to report of someone breaking into vehicles when he shot McDonald 16 times, before his call for backup was answered. Crowds cheered and hugged each other outside the courtroom after the verdict was read, less than 24 hours after the jury began deliberations.
Special Prosecutor Joe McMahon called the verdict "gratifying."
Marvin Hunter, McDonald’s great uncle, said the verdict was the culmination of a "journey" that began four years ago.
"When we began this journey, I called several African American lawyers and civil rights people and those people thought it was impossible to have a police officer convicted in the county of Cook in the city of Chicago for doing anything to a black person," he said. "However, I continued to believe we could get justice. I decided to dare believe beyond what was being said to me."
Demonstrators began peacefully protesting in downtown Chicago's Loop area shortly after the verdict, chanting "Justice for Laquan, justice for all" and "The whole damn system is guilty as hell." The crowds marched in the streets holding signs in support of Black Lives Matter and Laquan McDonald.
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Will this change the dynamics between the police and the justice system and the black community?
I wish, but probably not. Cops will, for the most part, will still be free to kill citizens with impunity.
Good,
16 rounds into the back of someone walking away IS murder in my eyes.....
Will this change things? not in our lifetimes....
absolutely it has the ability to change things.
the biggest change i think will be on the patrol level. officers who know the conduct of a dirty/ racist or bad cop will not want to be around him or her or be associated with that cop if there is foresight into potential criminal charges based on a clear cut feeling of police misconduct at the scene.
That means bad cops or ones who know better will start to act better because they just might feel the blue line wont cover them any more for misconduct that results in the death of a citizen.
Glad the jury was strong enough to make a determination that allowed for conviction.
Activists also chanted "no cop academy," demanding money from the city's budget be transferred from law-enforcement projects to community-related ones
I can't wait to see what impact that will have on the murder rate.
not sure why you think the comment they made means anything to the murder rate. they are two separate things.
the murder rate is based on choices by individuals. the academy is a place where our taxes pay rookies to learn to be cops and hold up the oath of the badge and treat everyone fairly.
If this money appropriation is being wasted then why not send it to places where community organizations can use that money to go out and try to address the violence where it happens.
Your comment shows that you are just not understanding the scope of why this case matters on its own merits.
To this day, I can not figure out in my mind why no one stopped Van Dyke.
Seriously, I saw the vid.
It's not a mini gun ran off 16 rounds.
He certainly wasn't "greased lightening" on the trigger. It was almost slow motion.
Nobody intervened. Throw your mace can at him, if anything. Him meaning Van Dyke.
Damn.
I will take a guess at this,
Maybe it was a combination of Shock and Awe. Shocked to see the officer doing it, and Awe ..he just stopped shooting... no there he goes again..... Shock again...
"Throw your mace can at him."
No No No That kind of deflection action could put You in the crosshairs so easily.
I have no training or experience n this area this is like I said, my guess only.
I can't disagree with anything you stated Steve.
It is one of those situations where an entire team of folks did not react.
Sometimes it is times to talk. Sometimes it is time to do something.
Hell, I could have unloaded 16 rounds in the time it took that fella to make 1 revolution.
Everyone stood flat footed.
Even someone behind him could have bashed him in the head with a baton.
Instead, nothing, while this slow motion of horror occured.
I hope some additional training comes out of this as well.
Or someone could have shot him. That would be out of the scope of their training probably though and so was probably not considered much if at all.
Shock
Instead, nothing, while this slow motion of horror occured.
At that time it probably seemed to go by in an instance. When the brain is searching for WTF is happening, that takes time, Not much but it doesn’t take much delay to eat up seconds.
Guessing…lol
I love analyzing crap. It’s a secret obsession.
lol
PS: I agree with you on more training. Perhaps even on something like this happening again.
That most likely would result in instant mayhem.
This needs a better approach than standing around flat footed.
Yep, some analysis as opposed to analysis paralysis folowed by some effective training.
That most likely would result in instant mayhem.
This needs a better approach than standing around flat footed.
Yep, some analysis as opposed to analysis paralysis followed by some effective training.
.................
All so true !
Some professional analysis might be helpful...
I guess...LOL
One would hope.
Then again, professional analysis gave us the Joan Claybrook un ride-able, "but safe" motorcycle.
LOL
Luckily I have adopted a moderation in everything attitude.
Anybody who had tried to stop him would most likely have ended up getting shot, themselves. Most likely by Van Dyke, but possibly by another cop.
I think it's a case of baby steps. I think this will help but it won't be the "fix". That comes with time.
And I have to agree with Dave. I am not sure why the other cops didn't stop him, unless it really was just shock. Maybe they thought after each shot.. "OK this will be the last one". Or they thought he was nuts and were afraid to approach him.