Today I watched “16 Shots” again but I needed to watch it again in light of George Floyd’s murder. If you don’t remember the case of Laquan McDonald he was the black 16 year old kid who was killed by former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke. Van Dyke began firing on Laquan McDonald with 8 seconds of arriving on the scene. He fired exactly 16 shots. He continued to fire into McDonald even when he was on the ground. There were numerous scout cars on the scene when Van Dyke and his Partner arrived on the scene. Van Dyke was the only officer to fire on McDonald. He said he did so because he was in fear of his life.
The there was an attempt to cover up the real facts of the McDonald shooting that embroiled the mayors office, the states attorney, and the superintendent of the Chicago police department. The superintendent was forced to resign when it became clear that the cover up attempt could not be maintained.
Van Dyke wasn’t indicted and brought to trial until 4 years after the incident. The jury found him guilty of second degree murder. The jury had found him guilty of 16 counts of aggravated battery for the 16 shots. A sentencing the Judge chose not to sentence him for the sixteen counts of aggravated assault. Had Van Dyke recieved a sentence for each of the 16 aggravated assault convictions he would likely have died in prison. The judge sentenced him to a sentence of 81 months, that’s 6 years and 9 months for firing sixteen shots into a 16 year old boy.
After leaving the police department under the cloud of the McDonald scandal the police superintendent took the posture that the police were under attack. That Chicago and every large city was on the verge of anarchy if the police weren’t allowed to “police”.
I wanted you to understand that the sentencing for the McDonald trial was barely 17 months ago. People had high Hope’s that it would lead to significant change. On May 25th George Floyd was murdered. He didn’t resist but he was murdered. People have such short memories. Things didn’t change.
During peaceful demonstrations we have seen time after time the ugly side of policing. We saw a seventy five year old white man forced violently to the ground striking his head. We saw officers who are sworn to protect and serve walk by his body without rendering aid. This man and the people who love him will have that picture indelibly etched into their consciousness for the rest of their lives. When disciplinary action was initiated against two members of the department all 50 plus members of their special response team resigned from the team. They in fact threw down the gauntlet to the cities administration.
The demonstrations happening in our streets now must continue if we are to have any chance of sustainable long term change. We are being confronted with something that is out of control. We are dealing with more than just a few bad apples.
THINK!!
EYES WIDE OPEN!!!
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