Video worth a million words...

[Crazy Eddie]

... when they finally wind up releasing it.

Van Dyke, who turned himself in to authorities Tuesday, is no longer being paid by the Police Department. Until Tuesday, he still worked for the department in a "limited duty position" as investigators probed the October 20, 2014, death.

"It is my determination that this defendant's actions -- of shooting Laquan McDonald when he did not pose an immediate threat of great bodily harm or death, and his subsequent actions of shooting Laquan McDonald while he lay on the ground after previously being struck by gunfire --- were not justified and they were not a proper use of deadly force by this police officer," Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said to announce charges against the officer.

Her announcement happened one day before the city's deadline to release video that shows the shooting. Until last week, officials had resisted such a release, fearing it could jeopardize investigations. Others said it could spur major protests in reaction to footage that even Van Dyke's attorney admits is "graphic, disturbing and difficult to watch."

Alvarez said the deadline moved up the timing of her announcement but did not dictate her decision to charge the officer with first-degree murder. She also defended the time it took her office to investigate by saying the case is complicated.

"Maintaining public safety is my No. 1 job, and I do not want the public to view this video without knowing this very important context that with these charges we are bringing a full measure of justice that this demands," she said.

The incident in question begins near the end of the video, about 5:15

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/Ix2N6_jLAgA[/YOUTUBE]

This was something that kind of slipped under my radar since last year mainly because I just assumed the CPD had successfully buried it. The word is, the decision to press charges is almost ENTIRELY a result of the city failing to block the release of the video and them knowing exactly how hard the shit is going to hit the fan if they let this one slide without an indictment.

To be clear on this case: the FIRST TWO shots are questionable, but not necessarily unjustified. He was nowhere near the officer who shot him or any other officer, so the danger -- perceived or otherwise -- was absent. Even so, the fact that he was apparently armed with a pocket knife and refusing to cooperate means he was creating a dangerous situation, to be sure.

But had the officer stopped with those first two shots, it wouldn't have been that much of an issue (aside from the fact that Laquan MIGHT still be alive). Rather, it was the other 14 shots that were fired after he hit the ground that put this case into crazy town.

And people wonder how "Black Lives Matter" became a thing...

 

[ksen]

and the city government has the balls to tell people to remain calm

 

[bigfield]

There are about 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the USA.

Some of those agencies are very good: they are well organised, their officers are well-trained, and they don't recruit or tolerate stupid or dangerous personnel.

Some other agencies, maybe even many others, are the opposite, and they are the ones that do horrific shit like this.

Will #BlackLivesMatter have to march against every single one of these corrupted agencies? Or will you, the USA, finally wake up and realise that locally-run law enforcement does not work?

 

[Derec]

and the city government has the balls to tell people to remain calm

I wonder what the idiots are protesting about in Chicago. The cop in question was indicted (and in my opinion overcharged) on the highest possible charge. The family of the dead guy are millionaires now.
So what's the goal of the protesters other than protesting for the sake of protesting?

 

[Bronzeage]

and the city government has the balls to tell people to remain calm

I wonder what the idiots are protesting about in Chicago. The cop in question was indicted (and in my opinion overcharged) on the highest possible charge. The family of the dead guy are millionaires now.
So what's the goal of the protesters other than protesting for the sake of protesting?

As strange as it sounds, some people do not equate losing a child with buying a winning lottery ticket.

 

[untermensche]

Shot in cold blood.

This has been happening all over this nation for years. Mostly to young men of color.

We really should disband all police and start over with some understanding of the rights of citizens.

The corruption is too common place.

 

[atrib]

and the city government has the balls to tell people to remain calm

I wonder what the idiots are protesting about in Chicago. The cop in question was indicted (and in my opinion overcharged) on the highest possible charge. The family of the dead guy are millionaires now.
So what's the goal of the protesters other than protesting for the sake of protesting?

Normal people tend to get upset when they watch videos of a human being lying prone on the street getting shot 14 times by a police officer whose sworn duty is to protect and serve the community. And when they come to know that the public prosecutor and the city government had access to the same video for a year, fought to stop the video from being made public to protect the cop and the police department, attempted to buy the silence of the family of the young man who was murdered in cold blood, and allowed the murdering cop to not just remain free, but also get paid with our tax dollars.

You would have to be human and possess the quality of empathy to understand.

 

[ImGod]

There are about 18,000 law enforcement agencies in the USA.

Some of those agencies are very good: they are well organised, their officers are well-trained, and they don't recruit or tolerate stupid or dangerous personnel.

Some other agencies, maybe even many others, are the opposite, and they are the ones that do horrific shit like this.

Will #BlackLivesMatter have to march against every single one of these corrupted agencies? Or will you, the USA, finally wake up and realise that locally-run law enforcement does not work?

I might disagree here. The agencies that seem to have the most trouble are larger agencies (LAPD, NYPD, CPD, etc. in big cities) that police from a distance. The officers don't live in the area, don't really know the people, and go in to take care of problems in "those areas" of town. I'm not sure how making the police a national organization will help that situation. It seems like a recipe for more of a military occupation style policing throughout most major cities.

 

[Toni]

... when they finally wind up releasing it.

Van Dyke, who turned himself in to authorities Tuesday, is no longer being paid by the Police Department. Until Tuesday, he still worked for the department in a "limited duty position" as investigators probed the October 20, 2014, death.

"It is my determination that this defendant's actions -- of shooting Laquan McDonald when he did not pose an immediate threat of great bodily harm or death, and his subsequent actions of shooting Laquan McDonald while he lay on the ground after previously being struck by gunfire --- were not justified and they were not a proper use of deadly force by this police officer," Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez said to announce charges against the officer.

Her announcement happened one day before the city's deadline to release video that shows the shooting. Until last week, officials had resisted such a release, fearing it could jeopardize investigations. Others said it could spur major protests in reaction to footage that even Van Dyke's attorney admits is "graphic, disturbing and difficult to watch."

Alvarez said the deadline moved up the timing of her announcement but did not dictate her decision to charge the officer with first-degree murder. She also defended the time it took her office to investigate by saying the case is complicated.

"Maintaining public safety is my No. 1 job, and I do not want the public to view this video without knowing this very important context that with these charges we are bringing a full measure of justice that this demands," she said.

The incident in question begins near the end of the video, about 5:15

[YOUTUBE]https://youtu.be/Ix2N6_jLAgA[/YOUTUBE]

This was something that kind of slipped under my radar since last year mainly because I just assumed the CPD had successfully buried it. The word is, the decision to press charges is almost ENTIRELY a result of the city failing to block the release of the video and them knowing exactly how hard the shit is going to hit the fan if they let this one slide without an indictment.

To be clear on this case: the FIRST TWO shots are questionable, but not necessarily unjustified. He was nowhere near the officer who shot him or any other officer, so the danger -- perceived or otherwise -- was absent. Even so, the fact that he was apparently armed with a pocket knife and refusing to cooperate means he was creating a dangerous situation, to be sure.

But had the officer stopped with those first two shots, it wouldn't have been that much of an issue (aside from the fact that Laquan MIGHT still be alive). Rather, it was the other 14 shots that were fired after he hit the ground that put this case into crazy town.

And people wonder how "Black Lives Matter" became a thing...

When the first shot hit him, the young man is walking away from the officers. That is also significant. He was shot from behind, which, given that he wasn't attacking anyone or about to attack anyone or a credible threat to anyone, inexcusable and unjustifiable. In these circumstance, it's cowardly.

 

[Keith&Co.]

So what's the goal of the protesters other than protesting for the sake of protesting?

Amazingly, my goal in having a kid was not to hope that he'd die in such situations as to earn me millions in reparations. I'd a lot better have the kid, at the end of the day, even if he's in jail awaiting trial for something he did, than have millions for his unjust execution.

I'd say 'but maybe that's just me,' except some 'idiots' in Chicago seem to agree with me.

 

[Keith&Co.]

I might disagree here. The agencies that seem to have the most trouble are larger agencies (LAPD, NYPD, CPD, etc. in big cities) that police from a distance.

Which doesn't explain Council, Idaho police gunning down a rancher whose truck they probably recognized on sight.

I don't think making the police a national organization will hurt any connection they might feel towards the community they protect and serve, but it might go a long way to standardizing their training, their procedures, their transparency.

 

[AthenaAwakened]

and the city government has the balls to tell people to remain calm

I wonder what the idiots are protesting about in Chicago.

How Chicago tried to cover up a police execution

The cop in question was indicted (and in my opinion overcharged)

You're opinion is wrong as usual.

on the highest possible charge. The family of the dead guy are millionaires now.

Well if monetary damages bother you, you should be out there with the protesters demanding better policing. But that's not what bother's you, is it?

So what's the goal of the protesters other than protesting for the sake of protesting?

To not have this happen again. to have police training, protocols, and procedures re-examined and reformed. To screen cadets and officers better. To make policing about protecting the citizenry not shooting at it.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

So what's the goal of the protesters other than protesting for the sake of protesting?

To not have this happen again. to have police training, protocols, and procedures re-examined and reformed. To screen cadets and officers better. To make policing about protecting the citizenry not shooting at it.

Wow, asked and answered. I wonder if you will get a thank you.

 

[Toni]

To not have this happen again. to have police training, protocols, and procedures re-examined and reformed. To screen cadets and officers better. To make policing about protecting the citizenry not shooting at it.

Wow, asked and answered. I wonder if you will get a thank you.

I am grateful and extend my thanks to AthenaAwakened for her thoughtful and measured response.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

I wonder what the idiots are protesting about in Chicago. The cop in question was indicted (and in my opinion overcharged) on the highest possible charge. The family of the dead guy are millionaires now.
So what's the goal of the protesters other than protesting for the sake of protesting?

As strange as it sounds, some people do not equate losing a child with buying a winning lottery ticket.

And one generally finds such callous comments on conservative religious leaning websites.

 

[Bronzeage]

As strange as it sounds, some people do not equate losing a child with buying a winning lottery ticket.

And one generally finds such callous comments on conservative religious leaning websites.

I think the root cause is the stark contrast between the value they assign to certain peoples lives and that assigned by a court.

There actually is a formula or algorithm used to determine a person's worth in these cases. It's easier if the victim is a working adult. Future earnings are extrapolated, based on statistical averages. It's much more difficult for a minor. In any case, the reason "damages" are awarded it to relieve the financial gap left when a person dies.

No amount of money can truly compensate for the loss of a loved one. I've been fortunate. People in my family tend to die old, of natural causes. I have attended many funerals of friends who died young, and funerals for children of friends. In every instance, the bereaved would have happily traded a coffin filled with Krugerrands to have their child back.

 

[bleubird]

Were are the defenders of this policeman?

"But, but he had a knive"

 

[ZiprHead]

and the city government has the balls to tell people to remain calm

I wonder what the idiots are protesting about in Chicago. The cop in question was indicted (and in my opinion overcharged) on the highest possible charge. The family of the dead guy are millionaires now.
So what's the goal of the protesters other than protesting for the sake of protesting?

As I understand it, 1st degree murder in Illinois doesn't require pre-meditation, just willful unlawful killing, and second degree murder is defined by mitigating circumstances.

Van Dyke was the only officer to fire, emptying his entire clip, reloading and preparing to continue firing but was stopped by other officers.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

Van Dyke was the only officer to fire, emptying his entire clip, reloading and preparing to continue firing but was stopped by other officers.

Did he think the guy was a zombie or something?

 

[ZiprHead]

How Chicago tried to cover up a police execution

http://chicagoreporter.com/how-chicago-tried-to-cover-up-a-police-execution/