chicago police
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Officer Jason Van Dyke Is Accused of Murder, But Laquan McDonald Is on Trial
While we see it with far more frequency, it’s still not often that a cop goes on trial for an officer-involved shooting, and rarer still for that officer to receive a murder charge. In the cases when it does happen—particularly if the victim is black—the playbook for the defense is simple: put the victim on…
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Trial Begins Today for Chicago Officer Who Shot and Killed Laquan McDonald
Nearly four years after Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke unloaded 16 bullets into Laquan McDonald, his murder trial is set to begin in earnest. The long-awaited trial will start with opening arguments on Monday, but first, Judge Vincent Gaughan will make a decision on the defense’s request to move the trial out of Cook…
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Family, Protesters Demand Answers Following Death of 15-Year-Old Black Teen Who Police Say Killed Himself Following Foot Chase
More than 100 people gathered in Chicago on Sunday evening to protest the death of Steven Rosenthal, a 15-year-old boy who police say shot himself in the stairwell of his West Side home, following a brief chase with officers. Police say that officers tried to question the teen after seeing him with the weapon just…
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Prosecutors Cannot Call Laquan McDonald, 17-Year-Old Shot and Killed by Chicago Cop, a 'Victim' During Murder Trial
A Chicago judge ruled on Wednesday that prosecutors will be unable to call Laquan McDonald, who was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer, a victim until closing arguments. Attorneys defending Officer Jason Van Dyke, the officer who is facing charges of first-degree murder and other firearm offenses in McDonald’s death, have claimed that…
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Black Firefighter Being Burned for Kneeling During the National Anthem
Add this to the list of things you cannot do while being black: exercise your First Amendment rights. Oh, wait. The NFL already made that a thing, right? A black firefighter in Chicago is being burned at the stake by his peers and local journalists alike after he made the decision to kneel on the…
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Black Chicago Cops Will Be Reprimanded for Taking a Knee, Chicago Mayor Issues Statement
Updated Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2017, 4:29 p.m. EDT: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel backed the Chicago Police Department’s decision to reprimand two black cops for taking a knee while in uniform this past weekend. The mayor voiced support for the athletes who chose to kneel in protest during the national anthem, though, and called Donald Trump’s…
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2 Chicago Police Officers Help Homeless Mother With 2 Sets of Twins
A homeless mother with two sets of twins is no longer homeless after two Chicago police officers went above and beyond the call of duty. Officers Matthew Jackson and Howard Ray, with the 11th District, came across the woman after she appeared at the police station looking for help when the local shelters couldn’t provide…
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Chicago Judge Orders Release of Cop Charged in Off-Duty Killing of Unarmed Man
A Chicago police officer who faces charges of first-degree murder in an off-duty shooting was released on his own recognizance under electronic monitoring per a Cook County, Ill., judge’s orders, USA Today reports. According to the reports, prosecutors argued that the cop in question, 57-year-old Lowell Houser, brandished a gun and threatened the victim during…