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* Sun-Times…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Thursday he favors releasing the dashcam video that reportedly shows a Chicago police officer shooting 25-year-old Ronald Johnson III.
“We’ll do that next week,” Emanuel said after unrelated event Thursday.
The video allegedly shows a police officer shooting Johnson eight days before Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times by another Chicago police officer.
OK, how about releasing the Cedrick Chatman video while you’re at it, mayor?
* It’ll be interesting to see how the Fraternal Order of Police reacts to this new video. Its president’s reaction to the LaQuan McDonald video was quite something to behold.
Chicago FOP President Dean Angelo told reporters this week that when he watched the McDonald video, he saw Officer Van Dyke stepping “into his training mode.” And then he said he saw this…
“Just prior to the engagement, of the first shots fired, the shoulders square off towards the officer.”
He repeated that claim when pressed. Watch the video, which was posted on the FOP’s site…
In case you need to refresh your memory, click here to watch the shooting video. I’ve watched it several times and don’t see any clear sign that the kid “squared his shoulders” at the officer.
* This FOP behavior could very well give the anti-union governor some credibility…
Rauner on collective bargaining btwn FOP & city on discipline for cops: ppl have begun to question that process
— Tony Arnold (@tonyjarnold) December 3, 2015
* Meanwhile…
Recently ousted police Supt. Garry McCarthy said in a 2013 interview that his policy is “termination” for cops who get caught lying during an official investigation.
But as things turn out, that’s hardly the case in our town.
DNAinfo Chicago found that IPRA recommended firing only 55 percent of officers found guilty of violating Rule 14 [a little-known provision in the Chicago Police Department’s disciplinary code related to officers “making a false statement, written or oral.”]. And none of those officers were fired for making false reports. […]
[Chicago should] Follow the lead of states including Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio and Washington, that make all police disciplinary records public.
* Related…
* Rauner: ‘I cried’ when watching Laquan McDonald video: “Anybody who sees that video has to really wonder, why would it take so long to prosecute or deal with this? What’s taking so long? It’s a legitimate question for everybody to be asking.”
* Court battle to stop destruction of police discipline files resumes
* Brown: Lawyers see limited defense options for cop in Laquan case
* Durbin Adds His Support for DOJ Investigation Into Chicago Police
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:19 pm
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the shoulders squared off toward the officer alright. Right when the bullets started entering his body turning him.
Sheesh. How does that guy sleep at night?
Comment by Abe the Babe Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:23 pm
And if he did “square his shoulders” - before getting shot and not becuase of it - how does that justify shooting a kid 16 times when he’s several feet away from you?
He seems to be suggesting that the slightest whiff of aggression justifies death. Which can’t be what he’s saying. Right?
Comment by Ferris Wheel Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:27 pm
This is a criminal matter, in a municipality, that has no apparent connection to the governor’s dealings with state unions.
Comment by Keyser Soze Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:29 pm
===has no apparent connection to the governor’s dealings with state unions===
Um, search this site for the phrase “Mother of all poison pills”
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:31 pm
The membership of the FOP probably voted for the Governor anyway. I won’t shed a tear if they are decertified.
Comment by Triple fat Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:43 pm
Rich, I must disagree. He definitely squares his shoulders with the officers. The problem for the officers and FOP narrative is that happened after he was shot once and spun around, not before, and was immediately shot 15 more times in about 13 seconds.
FOP, in this case, is complicit and repugnant in their response.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:43 pm
Watch the video very carefully again. In my opinion the video shows the victim was shot in the back or his left shoulder. The force of which spun his body around and was then shot twice in the chest as his body “squared his shoulders”. The autopsy report supports my view with an entry wound at that spot in the victims left shoulder.
Comment by qualified somebody nobody sent Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:44 pm
Sigh, the FOP is making the NRA look reasonable.
The NRA says individuals can have guns for sport, recreation and self protection.
The FOP thinks police have guns so they can shoot whomever they want and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Comment by Casual observer Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:45 pm
Rauner crying when the video came out? Photos or it didn’t happen, Rauner.
Comment by Anon Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:49 pm
Hands up…Don’t shoot!
FOP: Shoulders squared…Shoot!
Doesn’t matter if our bullets caused this reflec.
Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:52 pm
Sorry, reflex.
Comment by Wensicia Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:54 pm
Yes, the young man shot in the video did “square his shoulders” and that will certainly boost the officer’s defense, but the number of shots fired by the officer is harder to justify.
Comment by HaroldJones Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:54 pm
The FOP has pulled out of We Are One. They are kind of on their own little island. Every union should fight tooth and nail for due process for their members. In fact, if they don’t they’re breaking the law. However, there’s a way of doing it without justifying the worst abuses your members commit.
Comment by Carhartt Representative Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 2:55 pm
===and that will certainly boost the officer’s defense===
Um, no. There was no squaring. Watch it again.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:03 pm
I was involved in a discipline situation of a union member one time where the infraction was severe enough to skip the disciplinary steps and move immediately to firing. The union “represented” him to ensure proper processes were followed but they in no way tried to defend him. They wanted to get rid of the bad seed just as much as we did.
Comments like those from the FOP are why people become disenchanted with unions. When people see unions protecting bad seeds they of course sour on them. I remember a story my mom told from her days working in an auto factory. She was a member of the UAW. A guy who worked in her group exposed himself. He, of course was fired. The union managed to get him his job back. She despised that type of behavior from the union. Unions need to use common sense once in a while. Some people deserve to be fired.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:03 pm
Why wait until next week to release the video of the Johnson shooting? Why not release it immediately? Let the video tell the story of what actually happened and either exonerate or indict those involved based on the evidence it ahows.
Comment by SO IL M Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:03 pm
Harold:
I’ve watched the video multiple times and nowhere in that video did I see him make any sort of threatening move prior to being shot.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:05 pm
If you think “the shoulders square off” is a good reason to literally shoot a man to pieces, perhaps you’re not cut out for a career in law enforcement.
– MrJM
Comment by @MisterJayEm Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:05 pm
What’s most appalling about this whole situation is that none of those officers (apparently) had a taser, which is the most force that I could see as being justified in this case.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:07 pm
Demoralised—or bean bags as in the san francisco case before resorting t deadly force.
Comment by SO IL M Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:10 pm
FOP needs to learn the phrase “We have no comment at this time” or “We just want to secure our officers day in court and ensure fair and equal treatment under the law”. It IS this kind of stuff that makes people believe all unions are unreasonable and the paragon of cronyism.
Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:11 pm
I don’t believe “training” constitutes an affirmative defense and at best is no more than a shield, of which the FOP will try to hide behind. This may suit the Governor and his anti-Union agenda quite well. I can imagine the commercials already…picture of Laquan McDonald being shot….the word “Unjustifed” flashes across the screen … Voice over “LM was mudered and his assailant got desk duty because he was a union member and you paid his salary. The power of unions and the cost passed on to taxpayers is unjustifiable.” Or something like that…
Comment by Get Over It Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:14 pm
Here’s a suggestion to the Mayor and anyone else interested: now is the time to bring out anything and everything that CPD was hoping to keep buried. Get it all out now. If there is anything else remotely untoward *cough-HomanSquare-cough*, it all, every detail, needs to come into the light as soon as possible. Same goes with Anita Alverez and her crew who are too smart not to notice how police are treated by the prosecutors in this town.
It’s time to take out the trash and let Chicago see how bad it is and how deep it goes and let the chips fall where they may.
I’m glad the Mayor changed his tune about bringing in the Justice Department. He should give them plenty of office space and personally bring the coffee and donuts everyday. The sooner this stinking mess is out in the open, the sooner we can begin to rebuild what is left of the Chicago Police Department, from the Academy all the way up the ranks to the Superintendent.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:15 pm
“We’ll do that next week…”
Who’s advising him, Ari? Is this some sort of Cop Shooting Video of the Week package?
Let them all out now, and let the chips fall where they may.
Or, let some judge put the hammer down on you to release them all.
Or. a scared-to-death lap-dog City Council, or a throw-you-under-the-bus GA take away the power you have to withhold those videos.
Emanuel doesn’t seem to understand his position. He’s the World Poster Boy right now for Cover Up.
The time for political sharpies, spin, political CYA and stonewalling is over. So is Emanuel’s career in elective office, not that he knows it, and not that it matters. His career means nothing when it comes to obstruction of justice and covering up murders.
For crying out loud, this ain’t going away, and it ain’t going back to the old days of riding it out and manipulation by playing favorites with an obsequious Chicago media.
The people of Chicago, Illinois, the United States and the World will not indulge this cover-up culture any longer. The communications explosion will not allow it.
The world could not ignore the Civil Rights movement after TV cameras showed Bull Connor’s dogs attacking non-violent protesters.
Virtually every human being now has a camera in their phone. Security cameras are everywhere. You can’t escape it.
Anything you do out in the street now, you can bet it’s recorded.
And anyone in the world can access it on their phone anytime you want.
These are the times we live in. You can’t spin your way out of it.
Fiat justitia, ruat caelum.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:17 pm
Demoralized, there is a ton of training involved with the use of a taser, not to mention the cost of the weapon, and the placement of the taser on the duty belt. Even tho my family is a cop family it appears that CPD doesn’t adhere to strict training rules when it comes to deadly force, so why would they authorize the use of a taser. Someone had to know that he had a problem with anger.
Comment by Cable Line Beer Gardener Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:20 pm
8 men watched as one murdered a 17 year old boy in cold blood and then went to wipe the evidence that could incriminate them. And then everyone in the police ranks including the union and the politicians, prosecutors, mainstream media, his family, everyone said - ouch, this is smelly, let’s cover it up more. It took 13 months and a lawsuit and 3 whistleblowers to get this uncovered. But it’s the lack of taser that is the most appalling. Yeah!
Comment by Allexa Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:25 pm
Get over it, administrative leave is always paid leave. All police officers involved in shootings go on this kind of leave while the incident is investigated. Only when guilt is evident do they get fired. This is common in many professions where thorough investigations must take place. Would you rather innocent people be fired before anyone determined fault? Obviously in this case, with the video, he should have been removed from payroll long before, but it’s the law not the contract that provides for administrative leave.
Comment by Me too Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:27 pm
Let us understand this, for the sake of argument, let us assume that this 17 year old kid did “square his shoulders”. DeAngelo feels lethal force is justified? Good thing teachers aren’t armed, half of the public school middle school kids would be gone. Is DeAngelo an active cop? Does he carry heat? I think after this interpretation and justification for deadly force DeAngelo’s police powers and gun need to be taken away. Good Grief!
Comment by ottawa otter Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:28 pm
Rich, can we just make wordslinger’s last comment its own post? It truly says it all.
Comment by binn23 Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:35 pm
Me too - I’m sure the Governor’s office would love that explanation. My comment is just to illustrate how easy it is to pick apart the FOP and the contract. The policies and procedures argument doesn’t do well for a mass market ad campaign. Also, The perceived absurdity of the FOP helps to drive the Governors antic ion rhetoric.
Comment by Get Over It Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:35 pm
In regards to the Tony Arnold tweet.
I think if the Chicago Police Pension Fund had to pay out the $521 million in alleged police misconduct the past ten years, there would be a much bigger effort by rank-and-file to get rid of the bad cops, and clean up their shop.
CPD does not want to change because they have nothing at stake with the current status quo. Once something is at stake on both sides there will be a larger effort to reform the department. Currently it’s a lose-lose situation for the taxpayers of Chicago.
Comment by Almost the Weekend Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:37 pm
Me too - also, apparently very few CPD ever get fired, so there’s that…
Comment by Get Over It Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 3:40 pm
It is a criminal matter and the officer has been charged. This is not a bargaining chip to be used by Rauner. All cops and labor unions should not be punished for the actions of one man.
Comment by The jacket Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 4:03 pm
===for the actions of one man===
You’ve completely missed the point.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 4:07 pm
To clarify, “the” shot, not “she shot.”
Comment by anonny Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 4:22 pm
You never know how someone will react to a situation or even how they will react by reading a story. Everyone will see it a little differently than the others. Just because they perceive something differently or take a different opinion doesn’t mean they or their associates should lose their rights. Just because there is video of an incident doesn’t mean they lose their right for a fair trial.
Stop reacting and start thinking, then make decisions.
Comment by Chicago 20 Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 4:25 pm
“Comments like those from the FOP are why people become disenchanted with unions.”
Most union members don’t carry a gun as part of their job.
So don’t blame all unions or union members for what the FOP is doing.
Comment by Cheryl44 Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 5:40 pm
IMHO because of the trust and authority placed in police officers they should be held to a high standard, and this idea of it being very difficult to terminate cops is not unique to Chicago, the Illinois Times had an article about the Sangamon County Sheriffs Office: http://illinoistimes.com/mobile/articles/articleView/id:16336
Comment by MyTwoCents Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 5:42 pm
I don’t believe so. Rahm and Rauner will use this tragic incident for political gain at the expenses of others who had nothing to do with it. That is wrong and the unions will fight him on it which is right.
Comment by The jacket Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 6:24 pm
Major mistake by Rahm to be drip drip dripped into a huge scandal by slowly leaking these videos. He’s going to run out of people to throw under the bus (maybe he should have waited to throw McCarthy). If this plays out slowly he may be toast by the time he gets back from Cuba.
Comment by Worth It Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 6:38 pm
I think we just learned why the audio is conveniently off. So that the impact of the first bullet can be recast as “well, he squared off his shoulders.”
Teach your children well: if a cop calls out to them, whatever they do, don’t turn toward the sound of said cop’s voice. Because that will square off their shoulders and that will spell their doom.
Comment by Gobsmacked Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 7:25 pm
“Emanuel doesn’t seem to understand his position. He’s the World Poster Boy right now for Cover Up.”
Understatement. Rahm has hurt all involved with his cover up. I realize his ego is massive - he and the party will suffer dearly. A couple of underling is not going to do it.
Question how much the party knew and when?
Comment by cannon649 Thursday, Dec 3, 15 @ 9:24 pm
Rahm may have received assurances that he will survive the investigation unscathed, even though his office was ultimately responsible for withholding the video. The strategy worked in the short-term, and Rahm made it through the primary. He’ll likely emerge unscathed from the investigation as well. He really should resign.
Comment by See the forest Friday, Dec 4, 15 @ 5:48 am