Judge orders release of video showing fatal shooting by Chicago police officer
A judge ordered Chicago Police to make public by Nov. 25 a dashboard video of a white police officer shooting an African-American teen 16 times.
In the video, an officer repeatedly fires bullets into Laquan McDonald’s body on Oct. 20, 2014. Five other responding officers show restraint.
Cook County Judge Franklin Valderrama on Thursday denied the city’s request that the release of the video be delayed until the appellate court rules on the city’s appeal of the decision, adding the video must be released Nov. 25.
Valderrama rejected the argument that the Chicago Police Department could not release the video because of ongoing investigations. But the Illinois law that Chicago Police cited didn’t apply in the case, the judge ruled.
The city has argued against releasing the video given an ongoing federal investigation of the shooting.
But Thursday Mayor Rahm Emanuel stated the city would not appeal the latest ruling.
"Police officers are entrusted to uphold the law, and to provide safety to our residents," Emanuel said. "In this case unfortunately, it appears an officer violated that trust at every level. As a result, the city’s Independent Police Review Authority promptly sent this case and the evidence to state and federal prosecutors who have been investigating it for almost a year.
"In accordance with the judge’s ruling the city will release the video by November 25, which we hope will provide prosecutors time to expeditiously bring their investigation to a conclusion so Chicago can begin to heal."
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