Let’s Go To The Videotape
Posted on November 11, 2015
Late last fall, the city quickly, seemingly without question and to the surprise of many, paid out $5 million of taxpayer funds for a police shooting. Typically, the city only pays out after numerous court proceedings, however this incident came with a dashboard camera video. It’s now possible that the video will be made public:
“The video, without sound, is said to show Laquan McDonald, a 17-year-old African-American reportedly with PCP in his system, holding a small knife. He was shot to death by a white Chicago police officer, Jason Van Dyke, on the night of Oct. 20, 2014, at 41st and Pulaski on the Southwest Side.
City officials said police, responding to a call of a man slashing tires, followed McDonald carefully and calmly as he wandered. They called for backup and Tasers. Then McDonald walked out onto Pulaski Road.
Only one cop opened fire, shooting 16 times in all, and the video is said to show the rounds hitting McDonald in the back, the legs, arms, neck and head, the bullets making the body jump again and again.
On Nov. 19, Cook County Judge Franklin Valderrama is expected to rule whether the video should be released.”
It sounds like it checks all the politically exploitable boxes needed in order for some shit to go down – a black teenager, a white cop, some excessive force, etc… The only thing missing is a flag.