(12-07-2015, 11:07 AM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: LAQUAN MCDONALD CASE UPDATE -- CHICAGO



On Friday, the city released hundreds of official documents. The statements of the shooting officer, Jason Van Dyke (pictured right), and the other officers on the scene do not match up with the dash cam video (see post 593 upthread). Police also cannot explain why the audio is missing.

Van Dyke told an investigator that McDonald (pictured left) was "swinging the knife in an aggressive, exaggerated manner" and that McDonald "raised the knife across chest" and pointed it at Van Dyke, according to one police report. Multiple officers reported that even after McDonald was down, he kept trying to get up with the knife in his hand.

"In defense of his life, Van Dyke backpedaled and fired his handgun at McDonald, to stop the attack," one report reads. "McDonald fell to the ground but continued to move and continued to grasp the knife, refusing to let go of it."

Van Dyke told an investigator that he feared that McDonald would rush him with the knife or throw it at him. He also noted a 2012 Chicago Police Department warning about a weapon that was a knife but was capable of firing a bullet, hence making it firearm, according to the reports.

The officers' portrayal of the incident, recorded in hundreds of pages of handwritten and typed reports, prompted police supervisors to rule at the time that McDonald's death was a justifiable homicide and within the bounds of the department's use of force guidelines. It's not clear who wrote some of the police reports.

Officer Van Dyke was charged with premeditated murder just before the court-ordered public release of the video over a week ago. The Police Superintendent has been fired. Some in the community are demanding the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel over what appears to be a systematic cover up.

The release of the reports comes amid mounting questions about the Chicago Police Department's handling of the incident, while activists allege that police and city officials tried to cover it up. The U.S. attorney's office is investigating the issue, and a number of officials have called for a broader intervention by the U.S. Justice Department. Ref: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/laquan-mcdonald-shooting-chicago-police-officer-jason-van-dyke-police-reports/

I think Chicago PD should be wearing body cams, audio-enabled, at all times. It would benefit the public and the police. It should be a mandate (with support provided by the state/fed, if needed, to launch); no more feet dragging.

(12-07-2015, 12:58 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: The corruption is definitely a problem and it's part of what is being addressed in this case.

Addressing corruption separately is not and should not be a prerequisite to body cam implementation though, in my opinion.

The body cams could help reduce the systematic/cultural corruption that contributes to systematic brutality, false police narratives, and cover ups.

(12-07-2015, 01:33 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: I hear ya, Gunnar. The old "techical error" excuse for not using the body cams/audio while on duty should result in a stiff penalty if a technical error cannot be validated.

And, the "I forgot" excuse should carry no water whatsoever for on-duty patrol officers.

The department's traniing, operations, and code of conduct policies would need to be updated with clearly defined body cam/audio requirements.

(12-07-2015, 05:21 PM)SIXFOOTERsez Wrote: The cameras show the good, bad and ugly, just like they are supposed to do.

(12-11-2015, 03:41 PM)HairOfTheDog Wrote: In court yesterday, official documents revealed that video from the body cam worn by one of the city's police officers (who did not shoot because he was not in fear for his life) shows Christopher Few at the dead end, in his car, with his hands in the air before gun fire becomes audible.